Youth Villages

Help Children Reach Their Full Potential. Every child should have the opportunity to reach for their dreams. Over 35 years, Youth Villages has worked to radically improve the lives of children across the country through an array of program models and services built around preserving and restoring families. We do what works — partner with others to expand our reach and advocate for positive, long-term change in child welfare, juvenile justice and children’s mental health systems.

The Challenge: For many children, the path to adulthood is rough. Right now, more than 435,000 children are growing up in foster homes; 120,000 have been permanently separated from their parents and are waiting for adoption; 20,000 will turn 18 and “age out” without family support. We have a responsibility to do better. Preserving and strengthening families can allow children to grow up safely in their own homes without the trauma of family separation, and effective services can be the bridge to adulthood for young people who leave foster care alone.