Youth INC Celebrates 30 Years of Strengthening Youth Development Organizations, Raises $5M to Fuel Impact

November 14, 2024

Youth INC, a leading capacity builder dedicated to strengthening youth development organizations, celebrated three decades of impact at its 30th Anniversary Celebration Gala. The gala achieved unprecedented success, raising an impressive $5 million to equip nonprofit leaders with the essential tools and resources required to build strong, sustainable youth development organizations.

Youth INC 30th Anniversary Celebration Gala honoring Mike Arougheti, Ares Management Corporation

At the event, Mike Arougheti, co-founder, CEO, and president of Ares Management Corporation, was honored with the John C. Whitehead Leadership Award in recognition of his commitment to expanding economic opportunities and promoting shared prosperity. “Youth INC supports a network of nonprofit leaders who can learn from each other, tap into a deep reservoir of resources, and ultimately drive sustainability across youth development,” said Arougheti. “It’s an honor to support a mission that fosters true equality of opportunity by investing in organizations that break down barriers for young people to thrive.”

Youth INC provides proven strategies and data-driven insights that ensure nonprofits achieve measurable, lasting outcomes for young New Yorkers. Many youth development organizations operate with inadequate resources and often struggle to meet the needs of the youth they serve. Through Youth INC’s capacity-building programs, its nonprofit partners have strengthened their governance, leadership, strategy, impact evaluation, and operational effectiveness. Through the course of their partnership, they have experienced an average 100% growth in youth served, expanded their boards by 33%, and 76% have reported opening new program sites.

In its 30-year legacy of strengthening small- and mid-sized youth development organizations through coaching, connections, and capital, Youth INC has supported over 200 nonprofit organizations impacting more than one million young people and has mobilized over $120 million to strengthen the future of youth development. “I am incredibly proud of all we have accomplished at Youth INC and even more excited about our future,” said Rehana Farrell, executive director, Youth INC. “Celebrating 30 years of community impact reflects our journey and serves as a call to expand our efforts to those nonprofits who serve as vital drivers of youth thriving and contributors to promoting lasting change.”

The event featured an inspired performance by the Grammy Award-winning Brooklyn Youth Chorus, led by artistic director Dianne Berkun Menaker, and a Youth INC Nonprofit Partner. Additional highlights included remarks by Kathleen McCabe, PJT Partners, and Youth INC Board Co-Chair; Joneé Billy, PowerPlay NYC, and Youth INC Nonprofit Partner; ​​Daniel Pine, tvg hospitality, and Youth INC Board Member; and leaders from Ares Management Corporation, Michael L. Smith, Bennett Rosenthal, and Kipp deVeer. The event culminated with closing remarks by Evan Wildstein, Kohlberg & Co., and Youth INC Board President.

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Youth INC

Youth INC is a network of 80+ of the best youth development nonprofits in New York City. We provide our nonprofit partners with the coaching, capital, and connections required to achieve sustainable growth and maximum impact. Our nonprofit partners collectively champion over 250,000 young people each year. The Aspen Institute estimates that investing in the Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) of young people generates an 11x return. This measure means Youth INC's $110 million raised since inception has yielded over $1B in impact.

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