Causes: Children & Youth, Children & Youth Services, Youth Community Service Clubs, Youth Development Programs

Mission: The mission of Fresh Youth Initiatives (FYI) is to empower youth who have the fewest resources to achieve their greatest potential. Founded in 1993, FYI is the leading provider of youth development services to low-income, immigrant, and first generation youth in the community of Washington Heights in northern Manhattan. Programs operate at five sites from 165th to 204th Streets where 1,200 children, pre-K through grade 12, participate in afterschool, summer camp, advisory, mental health, education, and college access programs. FYI programs assist new immigrants to tackle challenges, and to reverse a trajectory of low academic achievement and poverty.

Target demographics: We support 1,500 immigrant and first-generation youth to become avid learners, confident leaders, and to succeed on a healthy journey to adulthood.

Direct beneficiaries per year: 1,200 Washington Heights youth in grades K through 12 by providing academic, cultural, social, and recreational programs and activities.

Geographic areas served: NYC

Programs: (1) The Welcome Program, providing intensive literacy programs to 310 students in Pre-K to 5 at P. S. 128 The Audubon School, (2) Middle School Programs, at three sites, provide a full menu of educational, arts, recreation, service-learning, and college access programs, and (3) Social Services at Gregorio Luperon High School for Science and Math, which provides counseling and crisis intervention to the school's 520 students throughout the day.