Our Story
Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world.”
(Nelson Mandela – social justice activist, political prisoner for 27 years and former President of South Africa)
Our Story
Mission
Investing in youth by removing barriers to lifelong success through relationships, skills, community, and economic opportunity, one young person at a time.
Vision
A connected ecosystem where youth, supported by strong relationships, skills, opportunity, and community networks, build sustainable pathways to lifelong success and
5 Core Pillars:
The JOY Initiative is built on five core pillars:
- Mentorship: Trusted, consistent relationships that foster guidance, accountability, and personal growth.
- Referrals to Need-Based Resources: Timely access to housing stability, mental health support, education, legal aid, and basic needs.
- Skill-Building Workshops: Practical life, career, and leadership skills that prepare youth for independence and advancement.
- Economic Opportunity: Exposure to
employment pathways, workforce readiness, entrepreneurship, and financial empowerment. - Service-Learning Experiences:
Community service and collective action that cultivate purpose, empathy, and civic responsibility.
Core Values
- YES empowers youth through self-awareness, educational attainment, workforce readiness skills, living-wage opportunities, and cultural enrichment.
- YES encourages staff and students to excel in a collaborative workplace that promotes creativity & strengthens agency’s culture.
- YES believes that responsibility and accountability are the key drivers for positive, permanent, and measurable results.
- YES is committed to the ongoing evaluation of our work to improve organizational efficiency and program efficacy.
Goals
- Upend generational childhood poverty through education and living-wage training opportunities designed to decrease negative behaviors, and disrupt the cradle-school-to prison pipeline of many disconnected youth.
- Enhance and expand our comprehensive service model to best serve more children, youth, and their families.
- Establish partnerships with other non-profits, churches, businesses and governmental agencies to promote and ensure successful outcomes.
- Provide outcome data for all interventions.
- Identify continuous and sustainable funding streams.