Social Responsibility

It can be hard to figure out your place in the world. As a young person with your whole life ahead of you, having the right guidance and support can make a real difference in figuring out who you are and what you can achieve. Whether kids come to the Y looking to explore their interests, or for support in navigating challenges, the Y is committed to nurturing children and teens and roots for their success.

Youth and Government

A national program for high school students, enabling them to prepare for moral and political leadership through training in the theory and practice of developing public policy. The program... Seeks to help create the next generation of good citizens. De mystifies local, state and national governmental systems so tomorrow's adults will know how to affect change within these systems. Expands the horizons of young people so they will understand their role within a global society.

YMCA Youth in Government is a national program of the Y that involves thousands of teens nationwide in state-organized, model-government programs. Students from every corner of the U.S. have the opportunity to immerse themselves in experiential civic engagement and to, quite literally, practice democracy. Teens from across every state meet in their local Youth in Government groups throughout the year to discuss and debate issues that affect citizens of their state and to propose legislation. The program culminates with teens serving as delegates at their state conference, debating bills on the floor of the legislature.

Tri-Hi-Y

Created in1923 in Massachusetts... For "high schoolers" to promote Christian character development, speech, sportsmanship and scholastic achievement. Great leaders are made... Through this wonderful program for teenage girls in the 10th-12th grades. Learn to be a leader among your peers. Activities include community service projects, fund-raising events, sports, and socials. Gain more than just fond memories. Learn skills that will be useful well into your adulthood. Gain confidence & self esteem, learn respect for others, the environment and community.

ISP- Intensive Supervision Program

Is a 5-phase mentoring program, for at-risk youth ages 7 through 17, which Operates at our State Street Facility during high-risk hours and is a behavior modification program partially funded by the County Probation Office & Abilene United Way. The program is free of charge to our clients and their families. The program provides transportation for AISD and WISD students. Length of time a client remains in the program relies on several factors. If a client remains on a steady, improving path, the program takes about 6 months to a year to successfully complete. Sometimes clients graduate before that time frame, sometimes after, depending on each child individually.

Close monitoring, supervision and mentoring of youth Support youth and parents with One-on-one and group meetings with a licensed therapist, Anger management, Implementing community service with a focus on helping others and Referrals to further services if needed.

Point of Contact for these program is: Ean Wagner Teen Director  

United Way

United Way Mission

United Way improves lives by mobilizing the caring power of communities around the world to advance the common good.

In 2008, United Way initiated a 10-year program designed to achieve the following goals by 2018:

• Improve education, and cut the number of high school dropouts — 1.2 million students, every year — in half.
• Help people achieve financial stability, and get 1.9 million working families — half the number of lower-income families who are financially unstable — on the road to economic independence.
• Promote healthy lives, and increase by one-third the number of youth and adults who are healthy and avoid risky behaviors.

Our goals are ambitious, but with your help, and by utilizing our core strengths — a national network, committed partners and public engagement capacity — we can achieve them.

Community Foundation of Abilene

The Community Foundation of Abilene is dedicated to building endowments to enrich the quality of life in Abilene and the surrounding areas. We accept gifts, administer funds, invest assets and make grants to charitable organizations on behalf of the donors who entrust with their funds and often designate the charitable area that their endowment should be used.

Since 1986, the Foundation has been a force for good in the Abilene community and across our region. Our mission is to "Endow Abilene," meaning that we believe our community and region are strengthened by having a source of community charitable capital to improve and maintain the quality of life we presently enjoy.