For a little over a year I have been working on creating a nonprofit organization for the purpose of impacting the lives of youth from the Appalachian area through travel experiences that will change their lives.
It is my belief that travel changes young lives for the good and I would like to help provide youth, that would not normally have these opportunities due to family hardships, school budget cuts or the simple lack of access to or education about the learning experiences provided by travel.
There are many benefits to travel for youth, here are just a few:
- Builds Confidence
- Allows them to step out of their comfort zone
- Provides sensitivity to other cultures
- Education in different languages
- Socialization with different types of people
My hope is that as this organization grows we will have the funds available to provide many opportunities. Just a few ideas:
- Scholarships for study abroad
- Group travel both domestically and internationally
- Mission Trip Opportunities
- Scholarships/Grants for someone to participate in any of the above
Journeys for Appalachian Youth, Inc. was formed and given its 501(c)3 status in 2016. We currently have a board that consists of 4 people, where I serve as the CEO and Founder. I will be introducing all of them to you over the coming weeks. I also hope to grow the board as the organization grows so if this is something your interested in, let me know and we can certainly find ways to plug you in and possibly make room for you join the board in the near future.
At this point in the life of Journeys for Appalachian Youth, Inc. it is vital that we start getting the word out and sharing about it as much as we can. I hope to get out in the community and meet with key members or our city and county hoping to drive support and interest. I also want to gain support of local companies/corporations and really get this moving.
Here are a couple goals I have set for me as I ramp this up:
- Raise $10K by the end of May 2018
- Be able to offer our first grant/scholarship for the summer of 2018
So take a look around, this is the beginning of something that I know will become great. Visit the other pages, if you are inclined to donate or help out in any way, I welcome and appreciate that very much. If you shop at Amazon please be sure to visit the “Other Ways to Help” page and find out how you can choose us as your charity and have a percentage of all your purchases come to us. If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me by using the email address on the “Contact Us” page. Visit and share as much as you want to. There will be frequent updates, I will be regularly posting more information and stats as to why I have started this organization and why it is important that this is successful.
June 20, 2017 at 3:30 pm
Awesome idea you have. Being a positive influence will have an impact in the Appalachian area. When young people see hope they can strive living productive lives. I know in the Appalachian area of Jenkins, Kentucky a dying coal mining town, the young people have no hope and resort to sex and drugs and resulting in 11 year old girls becoming pregnant. Thank you brother for bringing a positive opportunity to these lives.
Your college dorm mate Chipper.
June 22, 2017 at 10:30 pm
This is a terrific idea, Dan! We’ll support you anyway we can! Going to amazon right now as a place to start!