CHICAGO, Dec. 10,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- YMCA of the USA (Y-USA)
proudly announces an enhanced relaunch of the Character Development
Learning Initiative (CDLI+), an innovative character-nurturing
program focused on building positive character traits in young
people across the nation. This exciting initiative is made possible
through a $30 million investment by
Lilly Endowment Inc. This grant empowers Y-USA to scale impactful character development
programs to more than 450 Y locations across the country and engage
400,000 youth by 2029.
CDLI+ is being funded through Character Development Through Youth
Programs, a Lilly Endowment initiative designed to help
youth-serving organizations create, test, implement and sustain
strategies that support character development in the young people
they serve in chapters and affiliates throughout the
nation. Y-USA is one of eight
organizations being funded through the initiative.
Building on the foundation of the original Character Development
Learning Institute, which was piloted in 2016-2020 before the
COVID-19 pandemic shut down normal operations, CDLI+ will amplify
the Y's commitment to fostering positive character traits in young
people across the United States.
This initiative revitalizes and expands the Y's approach,
incorporating research-driven practices, inclusive environments and
robust evaluation methods designed to enhance character-building
skills among youth.
With support from Lilly Endowment, Y-USA and the CDLI+ program aims to:
- Strengthen Adult Practices: Train Y staff and volunteers
nationwide to model empathy, emotion management, responsibility and
leadership while building environments conducive to the growth of
these skills.
- Expand Program Reach: Engage 400,000 youth in
character-building activities by the end of 2029 while also
measuring positive outcomes.
- Ensure Equitable Impact: Embed the Y's "Equity for All"
strategy into all program elements, fostering inclusive
environments that reflect and celebrate diversity.
"Thanks to this transformative investment by Lilly Endowment,
the Y will be able to incorporate character-building supports into
all our youth development programs," said Suzanne McCormick, President and CEO of
Y-USA. "Through CDLI+, we are
expanding the Y's capacity to prepare young people for success in
school, their careers and their lives."
"From the earliest days of its grantmaking, the Endowment has
supported projects to encourage character development, especially
among young people," said Ted Maple,
the Endowment's vice president for education and youth programs.
"We are heartened by the thoughtful and strategic approaches these
youth-serving organizations are taking to support children and
youth in developing character traits that will be important for
them in their future roles as individuals, family members and
citizens."
CDLI+ is expected to become the largest national character
development initiative of its kind, with plans to involve 35,000
adult practitioners and reach youth in communities across the
country. This initiative underscores Y-USA's commitment to nurturing resilience,
integrity and leadership in youth, positioning the Y as a leader in
character development for generations to come.
About the Y
Driven by its founding mission, the Y has
served as a leading nonprofit committed to strengthening community
for more than 175 years. The Y empowers everyone, no matter who
they are or where they're from, by ensuring access to resources,
relationships, and opportunities for all to learn, grow and thrive.
By bringing together people from different backgrounds,
perspectives and generations, the Y's goal is to improve overall
health and well-being, ignite youth empowerment and demonstrate the
importance of connections in and across 10,000 communities
nationwide. Learn more at ymca.org.
About Lilly Endowment Inc
Lilly Endowment Inc. is an
Indianapolis-based, private
philanthropic foundation created in 1937 by J.K. Lilly Sr. and sons
J.K. Jr. and Eli through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical
business, Eli Lilly and Company. While those gifts remain the
financial bedrock of the Endowment, the Endowment is a separate
entity from the company, with a distinct governing board, staff and
location. In keeping with the founders' wishes, the Endowment
supports the causes of community development, education and
religion and maintains a special commitment to its hometown,
Indianapolis, and home state,
Indiana.
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SOURCE YMCA of the USA
