Year End Giving Opportunity

Across North America, Native American, Canadian First Nations and Alaskan Native youth face challenges such as poverty, low educational achievement, inadequate job skills, poor health and high risk behaviors, including substance abuse, teen pregnancy, incarceration and suicide.  Research documents that Native American youth fare worse than youth of other racial and ethnic backgrounds. While many of these youth seek to become productive and responsible members of their communities, the path forward is not clear and there are few resources available to help.

The National Indian Youth Leadership Project (NIYLP) understands this crisis.  For the past 25 years, NIYLP has been using a positive youth development approach in working with Native youth to break the cycle of poverty and to enhance education, employment and life skills. Through the nationally acclaimed Project Venture program, NIYLP supports youth to learn and celebrate spiritual and traditional activities, to access education and job training and to engage in community service projects that introduce positive role models and build confidence, resilience and self-esteem.  

NIYLP has an impressive record of accomplishments and an ambitious goal of reaching many more youth.   Won’t you help us achieve this dream? 

The social, emotional and economic consequences of disconnected youth, with little hope and with few skills, are staggering. However, with a modest investment, we can make a difference.

NIYLP has helped thousands of youth change the course of their lives and embark on the path to becoming responsible and productive members of society.   Please join us by making a tax deductible gift today to support our work.  For example, by making a contribution of:

·       $1,500, you are supporting 26-weeks of weekly after-school experiential learning sessions to teach youth the traditions and culture of their heritage so that they may develop a greater sense of identity and self-esteem and the importance of service to their community

·       $550 supports an intensive seven-day summer camp for one youth in a community setting of youth from all over North America and Hawaii, where they learn to apply their culturally based leadership skills and build the confidence, motivation and resilience to tackle individual and community challenges.  This year’s camp is scheduled for July 2014.

We have witnessed what our young people can achieve when they have a helping hand combined with the chance to use their Native culture as a foundation for building their future and contributing to their communities.  We hope you will join us in making this happen for many more youth by making a gift today.  We are deeply appreciative of your support.

Visit the 'Support NIYLP' tab on our website to donate today.

With gratitude and warms regards,

 

National Indian Youth Leadership Project