The Young People's Foundation started with the thought that youth in underserved, indigenous communities could benefit from positive, influential mentorship that inspired change and growth. The idea of "Making a Difference" was born from the personal experience of the founder and executive director growing up in Long Beach. As a troubled youth, our founder became the victim of many self-imposed crises. Substance use, incarceration, homelessness, and broken relationships plagued his life until his recovery began in the late 1980's. Although, his recovery journey was marked by seasons of success and failure. The most impactful life-changing lessons came after a season of loss. Encounters with mentors, spiritual leaders, and guides inspired him to grow up and help others.
The Foundation received its 501c3 statutes and its first contract in 2021. The vision of "Making a Difference" was now a reality. Our home office is in an area plagued by substance use, mental illness, and homelessness. Daily, we seek to engage youth being led astray by substance use and peer pressure. The Foundation collaborates with a local faith-based organization, "Victory Outreach," to serve this hard-to-reach population. We will continue to be a frontline services provider willing to work with the most challenging cases.
In God's world, there is no such thing as a bad person. Everything he created, he thought, was "Good."
(Genesis 1:31)
