UPDATE: We would like to thank all of our #GivingTuesday supporters for making the IYI student meal campaign a success. Because of your generosity, we raised over $16,000 on December 3rd. Your contributions will provide nutritious meals for Isles Youth Institute students during the school day and during the many enrichment activities and training sessions that keep them working in to the evening.
#GivingTuesday is a global campaign to kick off the giving season. After celebrating Thanksgiving and shopping on Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday, it’s time to give back by supporting your favorite nonprofit on Tuesday, December 3rd. This year, a generous Isles donor is giving back with a matching gift challenge to raise money to support Isles Youth Institute in-school meals. Online gifts to Isles on #GivingTuesday will be matched up to $10,000!
Isles Youth Institute (IYI), the youth development initiative of Isles, was created in 1995 to combat Trenton’s high dropout and low employment rates by better preparing high school aged, at-risk youth for employment and higher education. By providing the tools for self-reliance in a non-traditional educational environment, IYI hopes to achieve its mission of “building self-reliance and fostering positive change through education.” We offer GED preparation classes coupled with life-skills training, job training, comprehensive case management and post-secondary placement coaching. This holistic approach to education has proven that even youth hardened by the streets and the juvenile justice system can and do reach their educational and life goals.
An important goal at IYI is to ensure students are given all the necessary support for academic and vocational success. Many students have limited access to healthy meals outside of school. By providing healthy meals in-school, we give students the nourishment needed to increase their capacity to study and learn and to meet the demands of a full daily class regiment.
Foster self-reliant families and healthy sustainable communities