The Youth Enrichment Services (YES), a nonprofit based in Jamaica Plain, has been awarded a $175,000 grant from the Dick’s Sporting Goods Foundation. This funding, granted over three years, aims to enhance access to organized sports and outdoor recreational activities for youth in underserved communities.
YES focuses on providing Boston youth with year-round programming that includes skiing, track and field, and bicycling. The organization’s initiatives target areas where recreational opportunities are often limited or nonexistent.
The grant will also support the organization’s new headquarters, which opened in September in Jamaica Plain. This renovated facility will be fully equipped to expand YES’s services, increasing its annual capacity to serve an additional 700 youth from Jamaica Plain, Dorchester, Roxbury, and Mattapan.
With this funding, YES plans to hire additional staff, including youth program coordinators, youth engagement specialists, and a volunteer coordinator. The organization will also invest in essential equipment such as skis, snowboards, bicycles, helmets, running shoes, and more. Furthermore, the grant will enhance YES’s transportation capabilities by expanding its bus and van services.
