Alumni Spotlight: Jeff Love

As a young boy playing football with the Youth Bureau in the early 1980s, Jeff Love had no idea that his involvement with youth athletic programs would have such a profound impact on his life. What began as a fun sports activity quickly turned into something much more significant. Jeff found himself deeply invested and soon became a participant in other programs and then a volunteer coach, and ultimately, a member of the Friends of the Ithaca Youth Bureau (FIYB).

Throughout his years of involvement, Jeff has been part of several different programs. As a teen, he was a member of the Ithaca Youth Council, which he credits with helping him to develop his leadership skills, as well as part of Youth Employment Service (YES). Getting his first job through YES along with a variety of volunteer opportunities at the YB have been foundational to who he has become as an adult. These opportunities set Jeff on a path of community support and involvement that he still follows.

Today, Jeff continues to support the Youth Bureau and its programs through his membership with the FIYB where he serves as Chair of the Board. When asked about a favorite memory or highlight, Jeff shares, “I am proud to have been a part of the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Cass Park Enclosure, which was the culmination of years of hard work and effort by the city, the YB, and FIYB.” Looking back, Jeff also says, “The experiences I have had in my life as a user of, and volunteer, in YB programming have had a monumental impact on my life.”
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Jeff hopes the community knows that the Ithaca Youth Bureau is a wonderful, diverse, and dynamic place that truly cares about the development of the community's youth. He is honored to have been a part of it for so long and looks forward to continuing to support its important work for many years to come.

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