This past year has been one of exciting impact and expansion, marked by the extraordinary achievements of our youth, the commitment of our staff and board, and the enduring warmth of our community.

We feel extremely fortunate that 2012 was another year of growth at Y.O.U., buoyed by significant increases in both governmental and private giving. We served 850 youth, a 40% increase over the prior year, and offered these youth an even more holistic set of services. We expanded our summer learning programs, deepened our community school model, added ACT prep and youth entrepreneurship programs, and increased our mentor matches. These are just a few of the ways we stretched our capacity to serve more youth and make a deeper impact. 

At the core of our work remains a belief that when kids are supported and loved, when they have caring adults in their lives, and when they feel connected to the richness of their community, they have truly unlimited potential. Indeed, youth who actively participated in our afterschool and mentorship programs achieved new milestones this year: 71% increased their GPAs and 95% improved their social skills, according to pre- and post- evaluations.

In celebrating our accomplishments, we are truly celebrating the collective effort of this community—the donors, partners, staff, board, and volunteers that help propel our youth to succeed. Thank you for joining us in changing kids’ lives and inspiring Evanston’s future.

Please click here to view the Y.O.U. 2012 Annual Report.