AFRICAN AMERICAN YOUTH HARVEST FOUNDATION
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Mission Statement
AAYHF mission is to advocate, to strengthen, and to provide culturally relevant, family-centered educational, health and human services, including economic development opportunities to African American youth, their families, and other at-risk populations that reside primarily in Northeast Austin and the Greater Austin area. The AAYHF directs data-focused programs that: • Combat crime, juvenile delinquency and destructive antisocial behavior by youth. • Fostering academic achievement by eliminating academic achievement deficits exhibited by youth • Build working partnerships between successful adults and youth through programs. • Teach strategies for achieving economic prosperity, personal wealth through academic achievement, entrepreneurism, and career planning. This is done through programming in three areas: SHIFT Ascension In-school Prevention & Suspension Program, Workforce Development B.E.A.C.O.N., and programming through our Youth Resource Center.
About This Cause
African American Youth Harvest Foundation Mission Statement AAYHF mission is to advocate, to strengthen, and to provide culturally relevant, family-centered educational, health and human services, including economic development opportunities to African American youth, their families, and other at-risk populations that reside primarily in Northeast Austin and the Greater Austin area. In 2005 the Austin community, much like the nation at large, was discussing and debating the cause and effects of the alarming number of African American male students who were disproportionately overrepresented among those expelled or suspended from the public schools nationally, statewide and locally. In response to this crisis, community activist Michael Lofton organized parents, educators, mentors as well as church and community leaders who shared his passion for helping young men succeed and created the African American Men and Boys Conference. The objective of the conferences were to have African American men serve as mentors to help instill the values of personal and career goals and staying out of trouble. Approximately 200 boys, mentors and parents attended the first conference at the Conley-Gurrerro Center in June of 2006. Based on the success of the initial conferences, Mr. Lofton founded the African American Men and Boys Conference as a 501(c)(3) in February 2006 to continue this work. Since the initial forum, the organization has hosted over 53 conferences. These events (held 4-6 times a year) typically serve approximately 350 students, who are served by a core group of 75 volunteer mentors as well as speakers and workshop facilitators. As a result of their success, the conferences have expanded to include women and girls and disadvantaged youth and adults in general. To reflect the broader scope and mission of the organization’s work, the name was changed to the African American Youth Harvest Foundation, Inc., in 2011. Today, the African American Youth Harvest Foundation(AAYHF) is uniquely designed to deliver a range of educational, health, and social services through its newly developed, centrally located, Youth Resource Center located at 6633 Hwy 290 East, Suite 307 in North East Travis County. The AAYHF directs data-focused school and community-based programs that: • Combat crime, juvenile delinquency and destructive anti-social behavior by youth. • Fostering academic achievement and educational excellence by identifying and working to eliminate the academic achievement deficits exhibited by youth • Build working partnerships between successful adults and youth through workshops and mentoring programs. • Teach successful strategies for achieving economic prosperity and personal wealth through academic achievement, entrepreneurism as well as career and employment planning. • Educating African-American youth about successful strategies for achieving economic prosperity and personal wealth through entrepreneurial and employment activities Through these programs, AAYHF is able to implement its mission to advocate, to strengthen, and to provide culturally relevant, family-centered educational, health and human services, including economic development opportunities to African American youth, their families, and other at-risk populations that reside primarily in Northeast Austin and the Greater Austin area. Core Programs Our core programs areas consist of 1) Character Development and Behavioral Modification, 2) Academic Enrichment and Achievement, and 3) Workforce Development. Under Character Development and Behavioral Modification, are mentoring programs, Ascension In-School Suspension, Family Academy and our Youth Resource Center. The Youth Resource Center is a one-stop-shop that provides programs through year-round integrated programming with a goal to expand high-risk, low-resource minority youth’s exposure to multi-dimensional and multi-cultural programs that result in fewer truancy and behavioral issues and improved academic achievement. For Academic Enrichment and Achievement are our Afterschool Programs, STEM Programs and Educational Enrichment Tutoring. These programs help instill character development, enhance educational outcomes, develop leadership skills, increase interest/motivation in school, and expand access to community resources. The AAYHF Workforce Development Program (B.E.A.C.O.N) provides case management services to youth (14-24) and adult (25+) participants that focus on employment and training activities leading to individual job and career goals. The program is designed to provide subsidized job opportunities to AAYHF Program Youth (Ages 14-18); placement of other youth (Ages 16-24) and adult participants (with barriers to employment) in public/private sector employment; and retention of youth and adult participants in employment. Through employment and training, the objectives is to create employment opportunities through case management to assist participants in achieving their individual employment goals; provide case management and supportive services to assist participants in obtaining and maintaining employment; provide case management for a predetermined amount of time after an individual's case closes due to employment; and maximize available funding and strategically seek collaboration to optimize community coordination and prevent duplication of resources at the local level. Population Served Since AAYHF's inception, approximately 70% of the clients have been African American, 25% Hispanic and 5% White. The highest population concentrations of African Americans in Austin occur in zip codes 78702, 78721, 78722, 78723 (AAYRC location), 78724, 78725, and surrounding areas to the north and south throughout the eastern corridor of Travis County. These areas are characterized by disproportionately high age-adjusted and infant mortality rates, high child poverty rates and Austin's lowest socioeconomic zones. This is AAYHF's primary target zone, and we serve mostly African American and Hispanic clients.