Making A Difference
We need at least one Youth ChalleNGe Program in every state, and many of the 27 states (and Puerto Rico) with programs desperately need to expand to meet the growing demand. Nearly six of 10 of those who apply to a Youth ChalleNGe Program are turned away because there is no room. The primary goal of the Foundation is to ensure that every young person who needs and wants a second chance can have that opportunity.
Educating the Public – Telling the ChalleNGe Story
The Foundation's national public awareness campaign, "Voices of ChalleNGe," tells the stories of the students, parents, mentors and staff of the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program. Our Honorary Board and Celebrity Council of prominent, highly respected and diverse Americans help in the campaign. The goal is to educate Americans about the impact of the Program and build support needed for expansion.
The Program is funded by a federal-state government cooperative agreement (75%-25%). The Foundation supports legislation to add funding for additional programs and the effort to bring in more private funding to develop an extensive public-private partnership.
A RAND cost-benefit analysis finds ChalleNGe yields a 166% return on investment - substantially above that for many other rigorously evaluated social programs that target disadvantaged youth. Compare current costs of $17,000 to graduate a student from the Program versus $40,000 to incarcerate a young person for that same period of time. High school dropouts account for 68% of those in prison. Each year, ChalleNGe saves the government millions of dollars by educating young people instead of incarcerating them.
To join the effort to increase federal funding for the Program, click here to send a message to Congress voicing your support.
Supporting the Program – How to Help
Individuals, foundations, corporations and universities can make a tax-deductible donation, create a scholarship fund, provide job training and internship and employment opportunities for ChalleNGe graduates and help scale the program. Visit the Fund a Future page to make a donation, or to request further information on how you can support the Foundation's efforts, send us an e-mail.
Involving the Community – Become a Mentor
Mentoring is key to the success of the Youth ChalleNGe Program. Only half of the programs currently have enough mentors to assign to each student. The Foundation is seeking local officials, civic groups, business leaders and individuals to volunteer as mentors for ChalleNGe students.
Visit the Become a Mentor page for more information.
