The Aldine Youth Organization United to Help (Aldine Y.O.U.T.H.) was founded in 1990 to empower positive change in the lives of our youth and their families through partnerships with businesses, agencies, schools, churches and talented volunteers. As a grassroots organization, Aldine Y.OU.T.H. has established itself as a foundation for community restoration. By offering consistent, high-quality supportive and restorative social service programs, the agency works to ensure the development of youth and families into healthy, productive and self-sufficient members of society; and, empower the community to take collaborative responsibility in making positive changes.
Our History
Aldine Y.O.U.T.H. was founded by Sylvia Bolling with the help and support of her family and the community. Aldine Y.O.U.T.H. offers programs that support and nurture success, helping youth to develop self-esteem from positive experiences that help them to become more productive, self-sufficient members of our society. Aldine Y.O.U.T.H.‘s target service area encompasses a two-mile radius of US Highway 59 North and Aldine Mail Route. Within this boundary are 10 schools, 5 subdivisions, 5 apartment complexes and many businesses and churches. More than 65% of the students in our target area schools are economically disadvantaged.
Since 1990, Aldine Y.O.U.T.H. has been able to fill many of the emotional, educational, and physical gaps left by existing agencies and programs. This is accomplished through the agency’s grassroots network of area families and community organizations that are concerned about and supportive of youth and families in our community. And it is because of THAT collaborative community-based network that Aldine Y.O.U.T.H. is still serving our community.
During the first 5 years of operation, Aldine Y.O.U.T.H. had few tangibles to work with…there was no facility, no paid staff, and very limited funds. But by establishing valuable community partnerships, the agency’s founder, Sylvia Bolling, took the then fledgling community-based organization from her car to her garage to its current facility that sits on almost 7 acres of land. Acquiring the Community Center has allowed Aldine Y.O.U.T.H. to expand its programs and offer much-needed services and activities for the entire community.
Many of the youth in our area have no place to go and no plans for the future. Aldine Y.O.U.T.H. offers a place where the kids that are doing well can be role models for others by volunteering to be peer tutors. We also have many youth that work with our summer School of Business job readiness program, learning responsibility, acquiring viable job skills, and gaining leadership skills that lead to valuable work experiences.
Aldine Y.O.U.T.H. offers over 22 programs designed to address the gaps in community-based social services. This collaborative model allows underserved youth and families to have access to valuable and relevant services that will educate, enrich, and empower them. Serving as a “one-stop shop”, Aldine Y.O.U.T.H is an effective grassroots, service model providing programs such as:
- hunger relief (food pantry),
- basic needs assistance (clothing and furniture bank),
- GED classes,
- English as a Second Language classes,
- family counseling,
- year-round youth development (Healthy, Wealthy, and Wise Youth Club),
- Scouts,
- teen job training program,
- computer classes (English and Spanish),
- community computer lab,
- Senior Club,
- Karate Classes,
- Aerobics classes,
- Defensive Driving,
- Alcoholics Anonymous, and
- Juvenile Probation Services
As Aldine Y.O.U.T.H continues to serve as vehicle and a catalyst for positive transformation and restoration in our community, the agency has bolstered its youth development programs by offering new and innovative youth programs in order to address specific youth-related issues.
Aldine Y.O.U.T.H. Board of Directors
Aldine Y.O.U.T.H. 2007 Scorecard
