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Youth Guidance has received a $1.5M grant commitment from the Reva and David Logan Foundation to support its Becoming a Man (B.am.) and Working on Womanhood (W.O.W.) programs over the next three years. Youth Guidance, a leading provider of school-based counseling, currently serves roughly 14,000 at-risk Chicago youth. The new grant will aid in bringing both programs to scale, helping the organization reach its goal of serving an additional 2,000 B.am. and 700 W.O.W. students in 2015.
The grant will provide $500,000 each year for the next three years to be split equally between the two programs. “We are deeply grateful for this award,” said Michelle Adler Morrison, Chief Executive Officer of Youth Guidance. “This generous multi-year funding will help us achieve our mission of enabling youth to overcome obstacles, focus on their education and, ultimately, to succeed in school and in life.”
The B.am. and W.O.W. programs provide counseling, mentoring, violence prevention, and educational enrichment for 7th -12th graders in many of Chicago’s most dangerous and economically disadvantaged south and west side communities. Participants attend 30 one-hour weekly group sessions held during the school day throughout the academic year. Collectively, the programs operate in more than 75 schools across Chicago.
"The Logan Foundation chose to underwrite these initiatives because we are convinced Youth Guidance has developed a program capable of steering at-risk youth of the Logan Foundation. “I would encourage any individuals, foundations or corporations that wish to help stop the spiral of violence and wasted lives in our neglected city neighborhoods to join us in our sponsorship of Youth Guidance - they're onto something very special.”
The B.am. program, developed by Youth Guidance staff responding to the needs of young men growing up in some of Chicago’s toughest neighborhoods, received national recognition after results from a 2012 University of Chicago Crime Lab study revealed a 44% reduction in violent crime among participants when compared to peers with comparable school-level risk factors. Results also reflected a 10-23% increase in high school graduation rates. The findings led to onto a better life course; their blend of therapy and curriculum coupled with real engagement and long-term support has real impact,” said Richard Logan, Trustee personal interest from both Mayor Rahm Emmanuel and President Obama, who participated in B.am. group sessions in 2013. Since that time, B.am. students and counselors have been invited to the White House for various events, including the launch of the President’s "My Brother's Keeper" initiative in February 2014.
Like B.am., Youth Guidance’s W.O.W. program creates circles of support and works to address the unique needs of at-risk female youth. The powerful curriculum is also rooted in cognitive-behavioral theory to help young women address underlying traumas and life stressors. Core tenets of the program include self-awareness, emotional intelligence, identifying and maintaining healthy relationships, and setting strategic goals for the future.
Youth Guidance will apply the Logan Foundation grant towards organizational growth, program expansion and maintaining program quality. Plans include increasing the number of agency counselors and staff, and offering advanced training and technical assistance to counselors.
More about the Reva and David Logan Foundation: The Reva and David Logan Foundation is a Chicago-based, non-profit family foundation that makes strategic grants in the fields of social justice, academic scholarship, the arts, and investigative journalism. Guided by the principles established by its founders, for whom the foundation is named,“the Foundation primarily intends to be a catalyst for well-chosen projects that would not be successful without its creative or financial support.” (David Logan).
About Youth Guidance
Founded in 1924, Youth Guidance (youth-guidance.org) is a leader in outcomes-driven, school-based programs and capacity-building initiatives. The Chicago-based, nonprofit currently services 14,000 underserved youth in more than 75 public and charter schools in Chicago through a portfolio of comprehensive programs. The agency’s specific and strategically developed delivery areas are Community & After-School, Counseling & Prevention, and Youth Workforce Development. Ninety percent of students served are low income. More than 95% are African American and Hispanic/Latino. For more information or to donate, call 312-253-4900.
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jkirby[.]youth-guidance.org 
