The promise of our nation truly rests in our youngest generation. The skills they develop, the habits they form, and the communities they build will determine the future of the nation and our progress. From our neighborhoods to our Nation’s Capital, we are a people depending on the ingenuity and skills of our people to contribute to its greatness. With these thoughts in mind – to educate and empower our youth – should become our most important of missions. For the KLD Youth Foundation, that IS our mission. We take serious the course we set to fill the gap for, a generation at-risk. This generation is more at-risk than we may think. Over the past few years countless reports have brought to light the reality of that very risk and how it can impact our country. One such report is The Silent Epidemic: Perspectives of High School Dropouts, highlighted the facts that nearly one-third of all public high school students – and nearly 50 percent of minorities – fail to graduate with their class. The impact of this devastating report is staggering and costly. If, for instance, those students in Florida alone, who did not graduate in 2007 – had – our state would experience an estimated increase of over $26 Billion over their lifetime. The dropout count in Florida for 2007 was 100,158 students! In addition, the America’s Civic Health Index measured 40 indicators of the Nation’s civic health over the past 30 years. The most dramatic divides in civic health related to levels of education. The less educated, the

less civic involvement in every civic category, from volunteering and work on community projects to attending meetings and voting. For the most part, high school dropouts are no longer even a part of the civil society…the very thing that would enable them to be effective advocates for them.

In brief, the education of children shapes their own personal development and life choices, as well as the economic and social progress of our Nation.

At KLD our approach to this epidemic, is to provide positive prevention programs focused on the complex issues facing at-risk youth while building on their strengths and capabilities. Within the next few pages, we will share with you who we are, where we have come from and where we believe me must be to impact this generation …right here... right now. We offer the youth we serve 24/7 services, which continue to stretch our boundaries. To succeed they need to acquire adequate attitudes, behaviors and skills. We must find the right tools to maximize our efforts. As you review this document I hope that you see our vision and are inspired to help make this generation one of purpose and leadership.

Janet Shaffer CEO, KLD Youth Foundation

ExecutiveSummary

TheBeginning

TheKLDYOUTHFOUNDATIONwasfoundedin2002,conceivedfromavisiontoeffectivelyequipagenerationinneed.Thefounder,KevinDeaton,wasmerely20yearsoldwhenhe,hiswife,andhisfostermotherformedthenot‐for‐profitorganization.

Whywouldayoungmanfeelsocompelledtoacceptsuchatask?

WhenKevinwaseightyearsold,hefoundhimselfmovingfromonehometothenext,inanattempttorunfromthelifethathefaced.Hehadnosenseofbelongingorguidance.Leftunnoticedandunsupervisedafterschool,Kevinwasplacedatgreatrisk.Likesomanyyoungpeopletoday,hewasslippingthroughthecracks,headedfordestructivebehavior.Atage15,hemetafamilythatwouldbecomehisfosterfamily–fillingthe

gapthathecreditsforempoweringhislife.Thisfamilyprovidedmorethansecurity;theyprovidedtheloveandteachingofourLordJesusChrist.InEzekiel22:30,GodsaidhewaslookingamongthemforsomeonewhowouldstandinthegapforHim….Kevinsawtherealityofsomeonestandingin“thegap”forhisownlifeandthatiswhyhefeltledto“fillthegapforothers…onelifeatatime.”Hefeelsthatthestrugglesandchoicesouryoungpeoplefaceonadailybasiscontinuetoworsenanddemandasolution.Theanswerwastoformanorganizationcommittedtoprovidingloveandthetoolstoequip,enhanceandempowertheyoungtoreachtheirfullestpotential.ThisisthevisionofTheKLDYouthFoundation.

The Facts

7 years ofservicetoBrevard

KLDhasservedover13,000 in

out‐of‐schoolprograms

Wesee 160 studentsweekly

You should know

39% ofBrevardCountiesyouthareat‐risk

In2008100,000 students

droppedoutofFloridaHighSchools

Thatlifetimelossofincome

$26,041,125,500

ThevalueofKLD’s missionto

BrevardCounty

Priceless

AtKLDwebelievethatthepromiseofourfuturerestinouryoungestgeneration.Theskillstheydevelop,thehabitstheyform,andthecommunitiestheybuildwilldeterminethefutureofourgreatnation.Westrivetopositivelyimpactthisgenerationthroughprimarypreventionservicesthataddressthecomplexissuesfacingouryouthwhilebuildingontheirstrengthsandcapabilities.Weprovideanenvironmentthatfosterspersonalgrowthandthetoolstobelieveinthewordpossible.KLDoffersbothout‐of‐schoolprogramsandeducationalopportunitiesforyouthingradesK–12whoarenotbeingsuccessfulinthepublicschoolsystem.Wewanttomakesurethatthesekidsdon’tlosetheirchancetosucceedsimplybecausesocietyhasadoptedamodelthatdoesn’tfittheirindividualneeds.Theseat‐riskyoutharetheyouth,whoaremostlikelytodropoutofschoolduetoavarietyofdemographic,socioeconomic,andinstitutionalcharacteristics.

Thewhyandthehowaresimple…providekidsthatdon’tfitthestandardmold–individualizedtoolsthatfittheirstoryandtheirneed.Tomakesurethateachofthemgraduateswiththeconfidencethattheyhaveaproductivefuture.Afteralleveryonehasastory–wejustwanttogivehimorheranewscript.

KLDToday

KLDFuture

ProposedFacilitiesandPrograms. KLDhascomealongway,butourvisionistogomuchfurtherinservingourat‐riskstudents,aswellasotheryouthandfamiliesthroughoutBrevardCounty.Ourgoalistoacquirepropertywherewecandevelopacentralcampus,aschool,dormitory,administrativebuildingandindoorandoutdooractivityfacilities.Thiscampuswillprovideinnovativespecializededucation;careerandlifestyletraining;andacompletearrayofout‐of‐schoolactivities(includingcommunity‐serviceoutreachprojects).Wewillstandin‐linewiththeveryprincipleslaidoutforWestViera;toprovideopenspacesystems,createasafefriendlyenvironment,maximizeopportunitiesforphysicalactivity,emphasizesocialnetworksandbuildasenseoffamilylegacytoenrichthequalityoflifeforallwhoparticipate.

Ourvisionforthefuture:• LearningCenter(classroomsfor

gradesK‐12/vocationaltraining/technologycenter)

• SocialCenter(includinglearninglab,computercenter,foodcourt,internetcafé,arcade/videogameroom,Christianretailstore,andradio/TVstudio)

• CareerResourceCenter• CafeteriaandCulinaryTraining

Center• AuditoriumandCommunity

SpecialEventCenter• Gymnasium/FitnessCenter• SportsandRecreationAreasto

includeAquaticCenterandOut‐of‐SchoolCamps

• DaycareCenter• Spaceforlikeservice

organizationsandpublic/privatepartnerships

• Providedormitorylivingspaceforfull‐timestudents

• Providedailyout‐of‐schoolactivitiesandfamilysupport

• Obtainvehiclestosupporttheservicesprovided