According to Youth With Faces’ CEO Chris Quadri,
“Teens have one thing in common: they all make mistakes. Regrettably, not all get to learn from them. For hundreds of kids in our community, the risk-taking and boundary-testing of the teen years leads them to the confines of the juvenile justice system. While youth referrals declined during the pandemic, there has been a rise in recent years – over 51,000 young Texans were referred to a county department in 2023.
“Every year, Youth With Faces helps hundreds of justice-impacted teens move forward with resilience. Our Career Readiness, Culinary Arts, Financial Empowerment and FutureU Reentry programs support North Texas youth as they return home to their communities and put their newfound work and life skills into action. Our name reflects our purpose – giving young men and women in the juvenile justice system a second chance at being more than a faceless statistic.
“Each September, North Texas Giving Day launches the giving season. This community-wide event has energized support for Youth With Faces through awareness building and donations. The platform is an incredible tool to highlight the impact we’ve made over the years and introduce our community to the potential of our phenomenal students – all while raising almost $40,000 for Youth With Faces programs.
“The juvenile justice system is complex, and the youth who are referred to our local departments have often faced severe trauma before their referral. A global study reported that over 85% of justice-involved youth experienced at least one adverse childhood experience (ACE). Furthermore, in a study involving 184 youth justice clients, the majority reported four or more ACEs
“Our partners have trusted Youth With Faces to lift up North Texas juvenile residents for more than 20 years. Founded in 2001, Youth With Faces initially provided clothing and meals to residents in Dallas County’s Youth Village. In 2008, we launched career-readiness and culinary programs with paid work opportunities at community pop-up dinners as a partner and incubator of Cafe Momentum. Our programs inside juvenile facilities have expanded since then, providing opportunities for youth to build on-the-job skills and connections to dozens of employers and networks of support.
“In 2022, we expanded services to Collin County Juvenile Probation Services and launched our first-ever community-based program in 2023, working with youth on community probation. To date, we have impacted the lives of more than 2,800 young people. Join us this North Texas Giving Day (September 19) to support the potential of justice-impacted youth. With dedicated role models and the community’s support of Youth With Faces’ rehabilitative programs, our students will impact the community in the most meaningful ways.”
* Graphic/photos provided by Youth With Faces ** Photo credit: Sonya Hebert
In 15 years, Communities Foundation of Texas’ North Texas Giving Day has pumped more than $566 million into the North Texas community. In 2023, more than $63.9 million was raised through 97,000 donors benefiting 3,249 area nonprofits.
On Thursday, September 19, support Youth With Faces by clicking here and spreading the word. #NorthTexasGivingDay2024