Growth and Development Services (GDS)

For more than twenty years, Growth and Development Services (GDS) has helped vulnerable youth in Upper Manhattan beat the odds and create bright, self-sufficient futures. GDS flagship program is Excel.

GDS and The Excel Program have helped level the playing field for more than a thousand underserved young people, providing them with the skills, support, confidence, and motivation they need to succeed in school, in their communities, and in the workforce. GDS is led by Dr. Gary Altheim, a clinical psychologist. Dr. Altheim was recognized by the Child Mind Institute as a 2018 “Change Maker” for his dedication to the vulnerable teens in Upper Manhattan and for “changing life trajectories, enabling countless kids to count on a promising future.” 

Youth participants inspire us with their acts of kindness toward their peers, elders with dementia, and the community. Youth Engaging Seniors (YES), GDS' latest initiative. Inner-city youth continue to build human connections, changing the lives of another while bolstering their own social, emotional and educational capabilities. As part of GDS' core program, Excel, youth are also offered the following components all year long; leadership development, college readiness, job/career readiness, wellness, mentoring and counseling services.

Visit www.excelgds.org to learn more.