For more than five decades, Youth & Family Services has been a strong advocate for youth in our community.
Growing to Meet the Need
When YFS originally built its East Adams Street campus in 2003, we were serving 8,500 children and their families annually. Today, we are serving more than 14,000 children and we are desperate for more space.
The YFS East Adams Building Expansion Project will add 67,525 sq. ft. of indoor program space and 32,794 sq. ft. of playground/outdoor learning space. This expansion will allow us to provide transformative opportunities for more children and families by increasing the depth of our current services and adding new programming to meet unmet needs within our community.
The new two-story wing will house our Child Development Center, Fatherhood First program, Stronger Family Program, a half-size gym, and a greenhouse classroom. Health Advocacy program offices and a new after school/summer program for middle school youth will occupy the existing Child Development Center space.
The Girls Inc. and Nutrition Services programs will remain in their existing space and small functional improvements will be made in these areas. A larger, more secure playground and green space will be located between Girls Inc. and the new building wing.
Increasing Support Services
YFS staff members have worked with parents, educators, law enforcement, other non-profit organizations, and community leaders to ensure that the services we provide continue to effectively meet the needs of children. Although our services have been a critical component in helping families become capable, caring, and contributing members of the community, we realize that more must be done to reduce the number of children on waiting lists and address existing gaps in services. Expanding our East Adams Street facility will allow YFS to address the following issues:
Working families need quality care for their children, especially very young children.
This issue is particularly acute among low- and moderate-income parents who are in school, the workforce, or both. Expansion will allow YFS to increase services for hundreds of low-income infants, toddlers, and preschool-aged children.
Middle school youth have unique needs.
At this age, youth begin facing obstacles such as bullying, dealing with cliques, complicated social interactions, changes in their bodies, and feelings of confusion and loneliness. Too many ‘tweens and teens start exploring risky behaviors and drop out of youth programs, especially when younger children are served in the same setting. This expansion project will allow YFS to develop a program and center especially for middle school youth to provide mentoring and support while they transition through the challenges of early adolescence.
For healthy development, children need both their mothers and their fathers.
Research shows that children with involved, loving fathers are significantly more likely to do well in school, have healthy self-esteem, exhibit empathy and pro-social behavior, and avoid drug use, truancy, and criminal activity. YFS Fatherhood First will expand to engage additional children and fathers or positive male role models.
Outdoor learning space offers numerous benefits to children.
Being outdoors improves children’s physical and mental health. Other benefits are a reduction in ADHD symptoms and increased creativity and problem solving abilities.
Children living in chaos, with food insecurity, or in inadequate housing usually also have unmet health needs.
YFS will expand health advocacy programs to help families connect with appropriate services. Advocates will work to develop families’ trust, identify needs, and help them access the community resources they need.
Methamphetamine and alcohol use by youth are at an all-time high in our community.
The number of felony arrests in our area has increased dramatically in recent months, largely related to methamphetamines. This issue is of special concern for youth because of the way methamphetamine use affects brain chemistry. YFS’ expansion project will allow for increased prevention education.
Individuals in healthy relationships are happier and more productive.
YFS’ new Stronger Family Program will work with teens and adults to support relationship skills and strengthen their path toward economic stability, mobility, and employability.