Investing in Opportunity & Efficiency
The Alliance for Youth's Youth Resource Center (YRC) serves as a vital sanctuary and developmental hub for local youth. Through direct community involvement, this initiative focuses on enhancing the operational efficiency, safety, and comfort of the facility.
With a target goal of $10,000, participating in the Spirit of EXIT Charitable Program means funds raised will go even further.
The $2,000 Match Challenge
Through the Spirit of EXIT Charitable Program, EXIT Realty Corp. International will match the net funds raised by EXIT Associates benefiting Alliance for Youth, Inc. up to $2,000.00 until February 1, 2027.
Project Summary:
The project aims to raise $10,000 to revitalize the Youth Resource Center (YRC) HUB, which is the main room in the YRC where youth eat meals, do laundry, socialize, rest, play games, and utilize education, housing, and employment supports. Over the years, the HUB has gathered some wear and tear and urgently needs core infrastructure upgrades—including technology, sanitation, and lighting—to continue providing the physical security and dignity vulnerable youth need while they access essential support services.
Need & Impact:
In the last year alone, more than 300 youth in Great Falls were homeless at some point during the year. If the basic needs of these youth are not met, the long-term consequences are often dire, including addiction, abuse, incarceration, and suicide.
The YRC is a proactive solution, providing a low-barrier sanctuary for vulnerable youth aged 13–20 with access to:
- Food (including food pantry access and a hot meal each day at 5:00 PM)
- Clothing and hygiene products
- Shower and laundry facilities
- Education support and tutoring
- Mental health and addiction counseling, and numerous community-based support groups
- Transportation assistance
- Connection to employment and housing
- Connection to medical and dental care
- Life skills training
- Family and/or kinship reunification
Since opening in May 2020, the YRC has served more than 1,000+ youth. In just the last year, the center has supported 193 youth, served nearly 6,000 meals, and provided more than 3,500 transports. With so many youth utilizing the center, our washers and dryers, tables and chairs, and computers are getting worn out and require frequent repairs. Additionally, our residential refrigerator lacks the capacity we need, and being in a basement with limited windows, the room can be a bit dark at times.
By funding the purchase of new PCs and laptops, a durable stackable laundry system, a commercial refrigerator, an LED lighting retrofit, and new folding tables and chairs, this project will directly enhance daily service delivery for the 20+ youth who access the HUB each day for food, hygiene, laundry, and other services. By improving the comfort of the HUB, we promote a feeling of self-worth among the youth we serve and encourage increased utilization.
By optimizing our operational capacity, we increase the bandwidth of our staff to provide high-touch mentorship to the 70+ youth enrolled in intensive intervention tracks, ensuring they have the stable environment necessary to pursue their goals