Brief History

In 1986, Ann Young, Amphitheater High School counselor, knew of at least ten young people at Amphitheater who were living from couch-to-couch and friend-to-friend. No agency in Tucson was available to help them. “Their teachers and I were quite concerned about these young people and the danger of their having to drop out of school before they could graduate. They were struggling.”

After numerous brainstorming sessions, Mrs. Young sought help from her church, local foundations and many concerned citizens in Pima County. The result was the establishment of an innovative community-based drop out prevention program for homeless high school and middle school youth. Beginning with ten students, the program developed into a countywide project and grew to support 300 by 1994. Thus, a long-term prevention program with broad community support was formed to meet a critical need in Tucson and Pima County.

Today, Youth On Their Own serves approximately 700 homeless unaccompanied youth each academic school year by providing financial assistance, basic needs and guidance. The Student Living Expense Program, initiated in 1988 as the Monthly Stipend Program, remains the agency’s hallmark direct student core service, with Emergency Needs Funds available through request for emergency financial situations. YOTO student clients attend schools throughout the Metro Tucson area and are motivated and committed to receiving a high school diploma.

“Without the help and support of dozens of wonderful people, this program would not exist.”
- Quotes courtesy of Ann Young, YOTO Founder

Milestones

• Founded at Amphitheater High School (1986)
• Awarded Angel Charity grant; St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church pledge (by 1990)
• Achieved 501(c)(3) status (1990)
• Formation of the first Board of Directors (1990)
• National recognition received from the Interagency Council on the Homeless (1993) and National Association of State Coordinators for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth (1998)
• First paid Executive Director hired (1994)
• Top of the Town event organized as first signature fundraising event (1994)
• Purchased facility on Prince Road (2002)
• Received The Meyer and Libby Marmis Humanitarian Award from the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona (2007)
• Board of Directors completed an extensive, year-long strategic planning process to create The Strategic Plan, which serves as a guide to meet increasing student needs (2007)
• Established Youth On Their Own Endowment managed by the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona (2008)
• Created partnership with Touch Point Connection to pilot a coach program at Amphitheater High School (2008)
• Honored as Outstanding Nonprofit Organization of the Year – Small Category at the statewide, inaugural Non-Profit and Corporate Responsibility Awards presented by Arizona Business Magazine in partnership with the Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits (2008)