Two years ago Justin Terrell Johnson practically dropped out of school – he was absent from school for three straight weeks. He was involved with drugs and could have cared less about his failing grade point average. Justin grew up in Los Angeles, just 10 minutes south of the University of Southern California, but had never stepped a foot on campus.
Everything changed for Justin when he participated in the Youth Impact Program in 2007. He had no idea how the program would change his life. His success on the football field carried over to other aspects of his life. He stayed out of trouble, concentrated on school, and graduated from eighth grade with honors. Justin is now a running back for
Crenshaw
High School and is a volunteer mentor for Youth Impact Program.
Justin is a success story. Unfortunately, for every 12 to 14 year-old we reach, many more are lost. I encourage you to read further to learn more about Youth Impact Program, why we are different than other programs and to find out how you can get involved to support our efforts to change these young lives for the better.
Sincerely,
Riki Ellison
Founder, Youth Impact Program
NFL Super Bowl Champion XIX, XXIII
We Need Your Help.
Times are tough. Times are so tough in fact that 22% of our participants indicated that they would have gone hungry at least some of time during summer had it not been for the meals provided through our program. Nine-out-of-ten of our students live in homes at or below the federal poverty guidelines, which for an average household is an annual income of
less than $18,310.
Youth Impact Program is made available to families
free of charge – that is to say that they don’t share any of the financial burdens – that’s on us. But participation does come at a cost – it takes commitment, dedication and a willingness to change. We provide all of the students’ books, school uniforms and football equipment, as well as the cost of meals, physical exams, transportation, field trips and the salaries of our talented teachers and mentors.
We’re fortunate to be sponsored in part by the National Football League and participating universities. But covering 100% of the costs for more than 500 young adults each year is no small undertaking.
Youth Impact Program is a non-profit organization that relies heavily on contributions from individuals like you. Nationally, charitable contributions are the lowest on record in the past 53 years. Organizations of all kinds are feeling the effects.
The good news is that you can help by sponsoring a child in our life changing program today
Youth Impact Program is no exception, as non-profit foundations like ours have suffered the most, experiencing a heart-wrenching 22% decline in charitable donations. The reality is that without contributions from people like you, we won’t be able to change the lives of as many young men as we hoped.
Our Program is Different
What sets us apart from other programs is that our students earn the right to the play football. Our program requires hard work.
It’s not just all fun and games – its reading, math and life skills. Any type of change is difficult, especially for our students who have never had positive role models. While at camp these young men are required to live by a code of conduct – one based on mutual respect, honesty and responsibility.
A history of poor performance has resulted in a dislike of school, a lack of discipline and personal accountability. Many have simply not been given the one-on-one attention they desperately need. We maintain a
5:1 student-to-staff ratio. This gives our teachers the ability to work closely with students and to better address their individual needs.
You can’t get rid of us that easily
Follow up takes place year-round. Students bond together and form lasting friendships that carry over to their schools where they hold one another accountable for their actions long after camp has ended. We host monthly workshops that reunite participants and build upon skills and principles learned at camp. Our staff lives and works in their communities and is familiar with the issues these at-risk youth confront on a daily basis, often our mentors have endured similar struggles giving them the ability to relate on a more personal level. Now in the 4th year, we have proven that our program works. The most significant areas of improvement are made in aspects of student’s lives off the football field. When asked to give a ‘yes or no’ answer to the statement, “
I understand why I do what I do,” we noticed an impressive 27% shift in the number of positive responses in our post-camp survey of the 2008 class. Before camp began 50% of our students told us that they had never read a book. By the end camp all 100% had read the novel
Maniac Magee or
Crash. “I like the character in Crash, because he reminded me of me.” Youth Impact Program also takes kids off the streets for 5-weeks in summer when they are out of school and most susceptible to outside negative influences.
Sponsor a Student Today & Join Our Team!
You can help today by sponsoring a young man in this critical and life-changing program. Youth Impact Program is 100% free to participants, many of whom would not otherwise have had the opportunity to attend. We rely on contributions from people like you to provide textbooks, meals, clothes, transportation and instruction to students.
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Our camps are operating in the inner cities of
Houston,
Los Angeles,
Tampa, and
New Orleans. We’re working hard to establish a national network of professional athletes, athletic directors, head coaches, elected officials, teachers, business people and sponsors like you who are committed to making a difference in these young men’s lives.
We appreciate your support and thank you in advance for your donation and welcome you to our team!
Sponsorship Opportunities
You can help today by sponsoring a young man in this critical and life-changing program. Youth Impact Program is 100% free to participants, many of whom would not otherwise have had the opportunity to attend. We rely on contributions from people like you to provide textbooks, meals, clothes, transportation and instruction to students.
All sponsorship levels include membership in the exclusive Youth Impact Program Alumni Club.
YIP Fan: $100 + [Sponsor program equipment]
Youth Impact Program T-shirt
Weekly e-newsletter with update from camp
Veteran: $500 [Sponsor education program]
Youth Impact Program T-shirt
Youth Impact Program Lapel Pin
Weekly e-newsletter with update from camp
All-American: $1,000 [Sponsor one student]
Youth Impact Program Polo Shirt
Youth Impact Program Lapel Pin
Weekly e-newsletter with update from camp
A personal note from the student about their experience
Photograph of the individual student you sponsor to attend camp
The opportunity to visit camp and meet your student, the coaches and mentors
Heisman: $2,500 [Sponsor three students]
Youth Impact Program Polo Shirt
Youth Impact Program Lapel Pin
Weekly e-newsletter with update from camp
A personal note from the student about their experience
Photograph of each individual student you sponsor to attend camp
The opportunity to visit camp and meet your student, the coaches and mentors
Football signed by Youth Impact Program students
Head Coach: $5,000 [Sponsor seven students]
Youth Impact Program Polo Shirt
Youth Impact Program Lapel Pin
Weekly e-newsletter with update from camp
A personal note from the student about their experience
Photograph of each individual student you sponsor to attend camp
The opportunity to visit camp and meet your student, the coaches and mentors
Football signed by Youth Impact Program students
Complimentary football tickets (2) to local program’s university team
* All Donations are Tax Deductible.
Donate a Gift-in-Kind
A “gift-in-kind” is a donation of a product, items, or merchandise… in place of a cash donation to Youth Impact Program. [Examples include: clothes, merchandise, food, services, transportation, etc.] For further contact YIP Program Director Marcus Swinson at (703) 778-3411.
Times are tough. Times are so tough in fact that 22% of our participants indicated that they would have gone hungry at least some of time during summer had it not been for the meals provided through our program. Nine-out-of-ten of our students live in homes at or below the federal poverty guidelines, which for an average household is an annual income of
less than $18,310.
Youth Impact Program is made available to families
free of charge – that is to say that they don’t share any of the financial burdens – that’s on us. But participation does come at a cost – it takes commitment, dedication and a willingness to change. We provide all of the students’ books, school uniforms and football equipment, as well as the cost of meals, physical exams, transportation, field trips and the salaries of our talented teachers and mentors.
We’re fortunate to be sponsored in part by the National Football League and participating universities. But covering 100% of the costs for more than 500 young adults each year is no small undertaking.
Youth Impact Program is a non-profit organization that relies heavily on contributions from individuals like you. Nationally, charitable contributions are the lowest on record in the past 53 years. Organizations of all kinds are feeling the effects.
The good news is that you can help by sponsoring a child in our life changing program today
Youth Impact Program is no exception, as non-profit foundations like ours have suffered the most, experiencing a heart-wrenching 22% decline in charitable donations. The reality is that without contributions from people like you, we won’t be able to change the lives of as many young men as we hoped.
Our Program is Different
What sets us apart from other programs is that our students earn the right to the play football. Our program requires hard work.
It’s not just all fun and games – its reading, math and life skills. Any type of change is difficult, especially for our students who have never had positive role models. While at camp these young men are required to live by a code of conduct – one based on mutual respect, honesty and responsibility.
A history of poor performance has resulted in a dislike of school, a lack of discipline and personal accountability. Many have simply not been given the one-on-one attention they desperately need. We maintain a
5:1 student-to-staff ratio. This gives our teachers the ability to work closely with students and to better address their individual needs.
You can’t get rid of us that easily
Follow up takes place year-round. Students bond together and form lasting friendships that carry over to their schools where they hold one another accountable for their actions long after camp has ended. We host monthly workshops that reunite participants and build upon skills and principles learned at camp. Our staff lives and works in their communities and is familiar with the issues these at-risk youth confront on a daily basis, often our mentors have endured similar struggles giving them the ability to relate on a more personal level. Now in the 4th year, we have proven that our program works. The most significant areas of improvement are made in aspects of student’s lives off the football field. When asked to give a ‘yes or no’ answer to the statement, “
I understand why I do what I do,” we noticed an impressive 27% shift in the number of positive responses in our post-camp survey of the 2008 class. Before camp began 50% of our students told us that they had never read a book. By the end camp all 100% had read the novel
Maniac Magee or
Crash. “I like the character in Crash, because he reminded me of me.” Youth Impact Program also takes kids off the streets for 5-weeks in summer when they are out of school and most susceptible to outside negative influences.
Sponsor a Student Today & Join Our Team!
You can help today by sponsoring a young man in this critical and life-changing program. Youth Impact Program is 100% free to participants, many of whom would not otherwise have had the opportunity to attend. We rely on contributions from people like you to provide textbooks, meals, clothes, transportation and instruction to students.
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undefined
undefined
undefined
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Our camps are operating in the inner cities of
Houston,
Los Angeles,
Tampa, and
New Orleans. We’re working hard to establish a national network of professional athletes, athletic directors, head coaches, elected officials, teachers, business people and sponsors like you who are committed to making a difference in these young men’s lives.
We appreciate your support and thank you in advance for your donation and welcome you to our team!
Sponsorship Opportunities
You can help today by sponsoring a young man in this critical and life-changing program. Youth Impact Program is 100% free to participants, many of whom would not otherwise have had the opportunity to attend. We rely on contributions from people like you to provide textbooks, meals, clothes, transportation and instruction to students.
All sponsorship levels include membership in the exclusive Youth Impact Program Alumni Club.
YIP Fan: $100 + [Sponsor program equipment]
Youth Impact Program T-shirt
Weekly e-newsletter with update from camp
Veteran: $500 [Sponsor education program]
Youth Impact Program T-shirt
Youth Impact Program Lapel Pin
Weekly e-newsletter with update from camp
All-American: $1,000 [Sponsor one student]
Youth Impact Program Polo Shirt
Youth Impact Program Lapel Pin
Weekly e-newsletter with update from camp
A personal note from the student about their experience
Photograph of the individual student you sponsor to attend camp
The opportunity to visit camp and meet your student, the coaches and mentors
Heisman: $2,500 [Sponsor three students]
Youth Impact Program Polo Shirt
Youth Impact Program Lapel Pin
Weekly e-newsletter with update from camp
A personal note from the student about their experience
Photograph of each individual student you sponsor to attend camp
The opportunity to visit camp and meet your student, the coaches and mentors
Football signed by Youth Impact Program students
Head Coach: $5,000 [Sponsor seven students]
Youth Impact Program Polo Shirt
Youth Impact Program Lapel Pin
Weekly e-newsletter with update from camp
A personal note from the student about their experience
Photograph of each individual student you sponsor to attend camp
The opportunity to visit camp and meet your student, the coaches and mentors
Football signed by Youth Impact Program students
Complimentary football tickets (2) to local program’s university team
* All Donations are Tax Deductible.
Donate a Gift-in-Kind
A “gift-in-kind” is a donation of a product, items, or merchandise… in place of a cash donation to Youth Impact Program. [Examples include: clothes, merchandise, food, services, transportation, etc.] For further contact YIP Program Director Marcus Swinson at (703) 778-3411.
