April 28 could have been just another typical San Diego Sunday, but for the homeless and at-risk youth of StandUp for Kids, it was anything but. On April 26, StandUp for Kids kicked off its annual 48-hour event, during which the drop-in center stays open for 48 hours straight and participating kids are provided with a variety of social outings, as well as the rare opportunity to spend the night at the center.

For the second year in a row, volunteers from DPR’s San Diego office hosted a bowling outing as part of the 48-hour event. This year, they met the morning of April 28 and walked with the kids, about 20 in total, to the East Village Tavern+Bowl, where they spent a few hours bowling and socializing. Both bowling outings were a huge success, according to Ian Pyka, who serves as DPR’s San Diego representative for the DPR Foundation. Pyka, who was one of about 10 DPR volunteers to attend the event, added that something as simple as a couple of hours of carefree bowling means a lot to the kids, whose young lives have already been marked by adversity.

StandUp For Kids is a nonprofit organization that provides assistance to homeless and at-risk youth throughout San Diego County. The organization’s two San Diego County outreach centers provide homeless children a safe environment and a wide range of services such as food, clothing, hygiene products, educational assistance, counseling and job referrals. Additionally, the nonprofit offers assistance to youth through street outreaches and educational programs in elementary and middle school classrooms. Founded in 1990, the Atlanta-based organization has programs in a number of states and is run almost entirely by volunteers.