4.19.2001 ET

(CSRwire) The Freddie Mac Foundation announced a $1 million grant to help expand Youth for Tomorrow (YFT), a successful residential program for at-risk teenage boys founded by former Washington Redskins Head Coach Joe Gibbs in 1986. The announcement came during the Burgundy and Gold Dinner, the annual event that convenes the local sports and business community to raise money for the program.

"Youth for Tomorrow helps young men cope with the challenges of growing up. We nurture young men's dreams, and instill a new found sense of purpose, belonging and destiny. That's why I am so pleased to have the Freddie Mac Foundation join us in expanding this program to reach more children. This means that we'll see more teenagers overcoming tremendous odds to develop into responsible, compassionate and caring young adults," explained Coach Gibbs.

During the Burgundy and Gold dinner, the Freddie Mac Foundation challenged other companies to match its $1 million grant to Youth for Tomorrow. The Foundation's grant contributes to YFT's capital campaign to build a new academic/physical fitness facility that will accommodate classrooms, faculty offices, a gymnasium and a central dining area, including a new facility to serve 16 young women. With additional residential facilities, the number of young men and women served will increase from 65 to 100 annually.

"Success for our nation starts with successful children. That's why we are committed to opening doors to hope and opportunity for children by investing in their futures. Youth for Tomorrow is one of those investments-a tremendous program that offers outstanding results. We hope other local companies will invest in this program and in making our region's young people successful," explained Maxine B. Baker, president and CEO, Freddie Mac Foundation.

Since its inception, YFT has served more than 400 teenage boys, helping them move beyond their troubles to lead productive lives. YFT provides a home and school for at risk teens near Manassas. The home serves young men regardless of their families ability to pay. Youth are supported in developing the insight, self-discipline and motivation to become educated, responsible and productive members of society. The program emphasizes conflict resolution, alternatives to violence, and substance abuse education with a strong focus on prevention and decision-making.

The mission of YFT is to provide a residential home, family counseling center, and high school committed to ensuring a safe, healthy, intellectually stimulating and spiritually enriching environment in which at-risk adolescent males can make positive behavior adjustments. The program currently targets young men between 14 and 18 years of age whose behavior patterns reflect delinquent or criminal actions requiring placement in a residential facility. All too often, these are young men who have been in or need foster care, require special education services and are recovering from substance abuse. They come to YFT primarily through social workers, probation officers, judges or parental placement.

YFT creates a caring, loving and disciplined environment in which young men can observe and participate in healthy and functional relationships. It provides guidance and redirection to strengthen family bonds and encourages more effective communication through individual, group and family therapy. The program supports students in continuing their high school education through an academic high school curriculum. On and off campus employment provides an opportunity to apply the life skills they gain through the program in real life situations. In addition, the program offers an atmosphere supportive of recovering substance abusers. On leaving the program, YFT continues to provide support to those who have returned home or entered into an independent living situation.

Celebrating its 10th anniversary, the Freddie Mac Foundation plans to grant nearly $20 million this year to organizations working to prevent child abuse and neglect, find permanent homes for foster children and promote youth development. This grant to Youth for Tomorrow supports the Foundation's youth development strategy.

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