The worldwide Salesian mission is to serve poor and abandoned youth. The Salesians are also a non-governmental agency in the United Nations, which continues to seek the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger. As such, we work to raise awareness about factors that contribute to the creation of an unjust and difficult reality for many young people around the world in hopes of inspiring positive change. The environment is a significant factor that greatly impacts the lives of countless people throughout the globe, especially those in areas of the world lacking sufficient resources and support to face the effects of negative environmental change and destruction. Natural disasters, over consumption, climate change, pollution, deforestation, famine, disease, drought, lack of access to clean drinking water, and the destruction and contamination of farmland are just some environmental factors that play a role in the exploitation, displacement, and migration of numerous young people and their families each year.

In an effort to educate the youth and adults of our communities and local churches to the realities of youth poverty and enable them to act in solidarity with the poor, we will be hosting our Rock Out Youth Poverty event on Saturday, October 7th, 2017 at St. John Bosco High School in Bellflower, CA. Taking up the call of Pope Francis to be ethical and conscientious global citizens who recognize the vital need to care for our world, this Rock Out event will be centered around the theme of the environment and its tremendous impact on the most poor and marginalized among us, especially the young.

Learning about these global issues and becoming aware of the challenges facing so many of our brothers and sisters throughout the world may seem disheartening, but it is our hope that through education we may build a bridge to the grace of action in solidarity with those in need. We are happy to write you today on behalf of the Salesian Youth Movement in the western USA, because it is our chance to act on behalf of the poor and an opportunity for you to do so as well. 

Through the intercession of St. John Bosco, let us, as one vast movement of people a new generation of youth advocates commit ourselves to end youth poverty in our world.