With Your Support, Positive Change Happens

Dear Changemaker,

With your support, positive change is happening for young people and families facing some of life’s toughest challenges. Our 50-year-old model is giving communities an alternative to sending young people in trouble or in crisis to residential care or corrections facilities. Partnering with you, young people are connected to family-centered, accountability-focused economic, educational, and emotional needs tools that turn their lives around. Principles of our time-tested evidence-based individualized services model are also fueling strong outcomes in our public safety work. Thank you for investing in strength-based services that empower personal transformation and reduce community violence.

With gratitude,

Gary Ivory

President and CEO

Youth Advocate Programs (YAP®), Inc.

Fueled by Community Support, Systems-Involved Youth and Those at the Greatest Risk are Turning their Lives Around

Davenport, Iowa — A special Youth Advocate Programs (YAP®), Inc. luncheon recognized the accomplishments of formerly justice-involved Quad Cities youth and those once identified as being at the greatest risk for violence engagement.

The event took place in Davenport in May at The Lincoln Resource Center. It gave YAP®’s government, philanthropic, and community partners an opportunity to engage with young people who have benefited from their support of the nonprofit’s work.

YAP® Davenport Advocate David Hines with former program participants, Brennan, Fletcher, and J'Ciana

YAP® Davenport Advocate David Hines led a panel discussion with former program participants, J’Ciana, Fletcher, and Brennan. The young people also received achievement awards for reaching milestones established in their individualized service plans. Brennan, 15, who served as the event’s featured speaker, said he hesitated to share his story, but that based on how much Hines, who served as his YAP® Advocate, did for him; he couldn’t say no.

“I was 13 when I started making the kinds of decisions that got me locked up,” Brennan said. “At the time, I was a desperate, scared and very hungry boy.”

He told the audience he and his younger brother spent their childhood bouncing from relative to relative, whom he described as having “their own adult problems.”

“So as an adolescent, I had a lot of things to worry about. Things like where am I going to sleep? Where am I going to eat? What do I have to do to survive? Will I be safe?” And so yes, I did what most of you believe you’d never do. I stole food and sometimes money. And I ended up locked up.”

YAP® brought its unique family-based, accountability-focused services to Iowa in 2023. Iowa Program Director Michael A. Cole said Quad Cities youth are referred to the nonprofit by county and state youth justice systems and Davenport public schools.

“Sustaining and expanding its Quad Cities reach requires government referral partnerships, philanthropic and corporate funding, and continued community collaborations,” Cole said.

Brennan said he had to remain at the detention facility when he completed his time there because he had nowhere to go. He said things began to change in a positive direction when Hines showed up.

“David worked with the social workers to find an adult in my family, willing to take me in. And then when my cousin Jeremy stepped up, David showed up for him, too,” Brennan said. “So today, I’m happy to say that I’m part of a family. I am seeing my strengths. And I’m getting even stronger. And thanks to David and Jeremy and YAP® and the foundation I’m building from everything I’ve been through, there’s no stopping me.”

Community leaders and partners who support YAP’s work who were recognized at the event include:

Tracy Singleton, Lincoln Resource Center Executive Director Rev. Rogers Kirk, Jr., President and CEO of Together Making a Better Community — TMBC
Shirleen Martin, representing Davenport NAACP Metrocom Branch President Michael Guster
Kennon Neal and Jason Otten with Unity Point Center for Alcohol and Drug Services
Rodney Tatum and Machelle Pemberton, YAP’s Davenport Peace, Juvenile Court School liaisons
Matt McDowell, who provided mentorship opportunities for young people including asking them to read to summer camp participants here at the Lincoln Resource Center
Avery Pearl, Assistant Director at the Lincoln Resource Center
Cherie Henningsen and Nina Laughlin, Unity Point Robert Young Mental Health

Chicago Supporters Celebrated with Former Program Participants and their Families

Chicago, IL — Youth Advocate Programs (YAP®), Inc. and the University of Chicago Crime and Education Labs co-hosted a dinner celebrating young people previously in trouble or in crisis who are turning their lives around. Collaborating for Change: Celebrating 20 Years of Unlocking Positive Futures for Youth and Families in Trouble and Crisis marked the national nonprofit’s two decades in Chicago. The June 3 event at the Union League Club of Chicago brought YAP®’s Chicago-area government, philanthropic, education, and community supporters together to meet individuals benefiting from their efforts and generosity.

YAP® Chief Business Development Officer David Williams (center) with former YAP participants and parents: L to R Jacquez, LaVail, Duriana, Nicole (mom), Nikolas, T-Man, Tamika (mom), Eugene, Gee Gee/Ken Lewis Photography

Chicago Alderman Ronnie Mosley, YAP® Chief of Policy and Government Affairs Tim Ragland, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, YAP® CEO Gary Ivory, University of Chicago Crime and Education Lab Founding Director Roseanna Ander, YAP® Chief Business Development Officer David Williams/Ken Lewis Photography

The 20th Anniversary celebration honored Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and other leaders and partners who share the nonprofit’s commitment to empowering the greatest risk young people and families with tools to make positive individual change and making neighborhoods safer. In addition to serving youth referred to the nonprofit by youth justice, child welfare, and behavioral health systems, YAP® partners with community and school public safety systems to reduce violence.

Featured speaker, LaVail, a Kankakee barber, shared an emotional account of how his YAP® Advocate Antoine McNutt adhered to the nonprofit’s “no reject, no eject” approach when he “had one foot in and one foot out” of his former life. McNutt provided services to hundreds of Chicago youths before he passed away in 2022. LaVail said McNutt, whom he affectionately called, “Big Homie,” was there for him when he completed his time at a state youth facility and had nowhere to call home. He said McNutt connected his aunt to resources needed to become his legal guardian. Fighting back tears, LaVail said, “Big Homie took me to classes to earn my high school diploma, took me to church, and got me a job sweeping floors at a barber shop.” LaVail said when he expressed interest in cutting hair as a career, “Big Homie enrolled me at Larry’s Barber College.”

Former participant LaVail with YAP® Regional Director Marlon Rucker

LaVail is among 20,000 Chicago young people served by YAP® since the national accountability-focused, family-centered nonprofit arrived in Chicago two decades ago. The nonprofit recently celebrated five decades of giving communities across the U.S. a safer, more effective, and less costly alternative to youth incarceration and residential treatment.

In Chicago, YAP® partners with Brightpoint to deliver Choose to Change®, a program found by the University of Chicago Crime and Education Labs to reduce violence among some of the city’s highest risk youth. The model combines YAP®’s intensive individual and family “wraparound” services with Structured Psychotherapy for Adolescents Responding to Chronic Stress (SPARCS) therapy. Congratulating YAP® on its 20 years in Chicago, University of Chicago Crime and Education Labs Founding Executive Director Roseanna Ander said evaluators find during the six-month program, Choose to Change® reduces both the number of violent arrests and the likelihood of arrest for a violent offense by 47 percent.

During the Chicago event, YAP® President and CEO Gary Ivory recognized Ander, Illinois Department of Children and Family Services Director Heidi Mueller, and national justice activist Bill Ryan, as honorees at the nonprofit’s 2025 50th Anniversary YAP® Making Change Happen awards gala. Ryan, who in 2006 connected YAP® to Lutheran Family and Child Services of Illinois and the state’s Department of Children and Family Services, received a second award at the Chicago event, which recognized dozens of supporters of the nonprofit’s work in the city.

“At the federal level, we are honored that U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth and Dick Durbin secured $1.5 million to expand our youth justice and violence prevention work,” said YAP® Chief Business Development Officer David Williams, as he recognized Durbin’s Chicagoland Director of Outreach Christian Huerta, who attended the event on the senator’s behalf.”

Among the honorees were Bright Star Pastor Chris Harris, New Life Center’s Matt Mateo, and Autry Phillips at Lifeline to Hope, Inc., leaders of community-based organizations that deliver Choose to Change-informed services.

Accepting his award, Harris expressed his gratitude for YAP®’s two decades of service and made a $15,000 donation to the nonprofit.

Chicago Public Schools Network 17 Chief Dr. Myron Hester

The Chicago YAP® team also recognized Illinois Rep. Justin Slaughter, who helped the nonprofit secure $200,000 to continue its Washington Heights aftercare and other community-based neighborhood violence reduction services, and Chicago 21st Ward Alderman Ronnie Mosley, a longtime supporter of YAP’s work who frequently attends the nonprofit’s community events.

Community Partners and Supporters receiving awards during the Chicago celebration included:

Bill Ryan, helped launch YAP®’s Chicago services
Michael Bertrand, Lutheran Family Services of Illinois President; and
Erwin McEwen, former Deputy Director at the Department of Children and Family Services Mike Shaver, President and CEO of Brightpoint, our Choose to Change partner
Julie Noobler, Brightpoint’s Clinical Director who has been critical to the partnership’s success.
Sean Harden, President, Chicago Board of Education
Jadine Chou, former CPS Chief of Safety and Security
Toni Copeland, Director, CPS Student Supports and Violence Prevention Programs
Chief Myron Hester, Network 17 Chief of Schools
Paul Karafiol, Lake View High School Principal
Leigh Anne Larsen, CPS Office of College, and Career Success
David Moskowitz CPS Juvenile Justice Manager
Dr. Nour Abdul-Razzak, Research Director at the University of Chicago Inclusive Economy Lab, formerly a UChicago Crime & Education Labs postdoctoral fellow
Christopher Patterson, Program Director at Crown Family Philanthropies
Dr. Fayette Coleman-Gill, Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Cook County Associate Regional Administrator for Permanency Services
Peter Birnbaum, Court of Claims Chief
Anthony Jones, Hope Haven President and CEO
Renaldo Hudson, Illinois Prison Project Director of Education
Stanley Howard, Prisoner Advocate at Uptown People’s Law Center
Yaacov Delaney, Director of Justice, Equity & Opportunity Initiative
Wendell Robinson, Executive Director Restore Justice Foundation
Marshan Allan, Illinois Prison Project
Rev. Michael Faggett, Pastor, United Baptist Church