Stone of Hope Youth

Stone of Hope Youth has been in existence since 2017 and serves disadvantaged young males ages 11-17, most of whom are minorities and come from single-parent homes. Many of the families of our 56 young men enrolled lack the basic resources needed to help these boys reach their full potential. These students are most at risk for being recruited by gangs and for failing to graduate high school. We provide weekly mentor sessions, monthly service projects, mini camps, and an annual summer leadership camp for disadvantaged students in our local school district in West Valley City. During all of our programs, we teach them that they are valued, loved, and important, thus improving their mental health. Our program improves the boys’ quality of life, and belief in themselves as individuals and the need to serve and give back to their community. Through our staff leaders, mentors, and community partners we have access to resources that provide food, clothing, and emotional support to families and students as needs arise.

Our commitment is to meet our students’ emotional, physical, and social needs. We engage the students in physical activities each week such as grappling, basketball, football, etc. to achieve their physical potential. Through these leadership activities, the boys learn that they are special and unique, physical and mental health are a necessity, and they can persevere through hard work. Learning these concepts every week, our young men are growing into positive and influential leaders in their schools and society.

As a preventative program, Stone of Hope Youth has the potential to lower crime rates and gang violence in the community with our youth finding a place they belong as an alternative to gangs. Additionally, it can potentially boost our city’s future economy as our youth are graduating college and pursuing a life of financial freedom rather than government dependence. These are important impacts that the larger community and our donors can be proud of along with Stone of Hope Youth. Being able to provide our students with additional scholarships to change their family trajectory is very important to our organization’s vision.