Dear Changemaker,

This fall, Youth Advocate Programs (YAP®), Inc. will mark five decades of empowering change with our 50th Anniversary YAP® Making Change Happen events. The November 6th, 2025 half-day summit and evening awards gala and our November 8th, 2025 5K walk/run & food truck brunch will elevate the evolving collective energy that has fueled YAP’s half century of delivering and advocating for community-based alternatives to placing young people in trouble or crisis in residential care and corrections facilities and helping communities reduce neighborhood violence. Former Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) Administrator Liz Ryan has joined our esteemed line-up of presenters and panelists, and we invite you to be a part of the conversation and celebration.

Gary Ivory

Leading Youth Advocate/Former Office of

Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Administrator Liz Ryan

Gary Ivory

President and CEO

November 6th, 2025

Philadelphia, PA

50th Anniversary YAP® Making Change Happen Summit & Awards Gala

Join Youth Advocate Programs (YAP®), Inc. Thursday, November 6th, 2025, for our half-day 50th Anniversary YAP® Making Change Happen Summit. Learn what’s working from young people and families and best practices from leading experts, researchers, policymakers, and practitioners in child welfare, behavioral health, community safety, education, and youth justice. Network with people who are a part of the continuum of care that is the foundation of how YAP® delivers community-based services as a safer, more effective, and less costly alternative to placing young people in trouble or crisis in correctional or residential care facilities.

Later on the evening of the 6th, join us for the 50th Anniversary YAP® Making Change Happen Awards Gala.This event is our celebration of young people and families and the changemakers behind the collective energy that has fueled YAP’s 50 years of partnering with local governments, schools, behavioral health providers, and more recently, public safety systems to give young people and families facing life’s most complex challenges individualized economic, educational and emotional tools to thrive.

See event details; take advantage of early-bird registration; become a sponsor or exhibitor

November 8th, 2025

Harrisburg, PA

50th Anniversary YAP® Making Change Happen 5K Walk/Run & Brunch

On Saturday, November 8th, 2025, in recognition of our 50th anniversary, we will host our inaugural YAP® Making Change Happen 5k, Walk and Food Truck Brunch in Harrisburg, PA. The anniversary event will raise awareness of YAP® as a national change leader headquartered in Harrisburg and raise general operating funds to support the nonprofit’s work across the U.S.

The 50th Anniversary YAP® Making Change Happen 5k, Walk and Food Truck Brunch will facilitate continued collaboration among employees and other attendees and supporters whose passion and power are expediting child welfare, youth justice, criminal justice, behavioral health, developmental disabilities/autism, and overall interconnected family services systems change. 

Event details; Become a 5K or food truck vendor/sponsor

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