Why would anyone commute two and a half hours in NY/NJ traffic for a nonprofit's board meeting? There are plenty of nonprofits closer to home. I do it because the stories I hear from the kids in ACE and YABC and Olympus (the youth development programs) have convinced me that NYCID staff know how to give kids a second chance in ways that bring success. This agency really "gets" youth development. Take La'Shara. She talked to the board at our meeting last week. She'd dropped out of school. "There was nothing wrong with my brain," she said. "I just didn't like all the cliques and stuff that goes on in school. But, when you drop out, you just get yourself in trouble. And, I did." When she ended up at ACE some time later, she said "They were relentless. You couldn't drop out. They were there, in my face, reminding me what I had to do to get my GED and go to college. I knew they cared!" Today, she's in college and talking about a future. She's discovered she likes biology and thinks maybe she'd like to become a doctor. But, she likes arguing, too. Maybe she'll become a lawyer. But she's excited about life. She knows her future is in her hands. So, they're not perfect. Not all kids succeed. And, sometimes the thank yous don't go out on time. But they're pretty close. Well worth supporting.
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- EIN 23-7085239
- info@nycid.org
- 718-815-4557
- 130 Stuyvesant Place 5th Floor Staten Island NY 10301 USA
- www.nycid.org
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Nonprofit Overview
Causes: Children & Youth, Crime & Law, Dispute Resolution & Mediation, Youth Development Programs
Mission: Founded in 1970, the New York Center for Interpersonal Development (NYCID) is a not-for-profit organization on Staten Island providing youth, community and professional development programs, as well as dispute resolution services that educate and inform the public about constructive problem-solving, effective communication and intercultural awareness. We also operate a training institute to teach these skills to others.
Geographic areas served: New York City
Programs: NYCID's Achievement in Career & Education (ACE) Program is a GED and vocational learning opportunity for disconnected youth. To date, the ACE Program has served 150 Out-of-School Youth; out of the 75% of participants that needed to attain their GED, 100% passed on their first try. Seventy-six percent of participants enrolled in either the hospitality/health care or customer service trainings have attained their certification. Eighty percent of the participants in the ACE Program pursue their college education.