Horizons for Youth

Horizons for Youth was founded in 1991 by a group of friends who wanted to give back to the community. They believed that three aspects of their childhood were essential to their success: a quality education from an early age, a strong adult support system, and exposure to the larger community. Determined to focus on children’s needs in spite of the barriers they face, our founders started filling in the gaps to these vital opportunities by forming Horizons for Youth.

Since then, Horizons for Youth serves approximately 200 students annually across Chicago. What makes us different from other organizations, is that we work with students from kindergarten through the start of their careers and do not refuse a student based on academic ability. In fact, roughly 30% of Horizons for Youth students are identified as exceptional learners. We have a 90% retention rate for our students, with the average length of time a student stays in our program as 17 years! We rely heavily on partnerships with families and our communities during this length of time, and invite you to consider joining our mission as a volunteer!