Greater Boston is home to the third largest concentration of Haitians and Haitian Americans in the U.S. Like many immigrant communities, their challenges are many. Among them are unemployment, underemployment, language barriers, compounded discrimination common to many of African descent. The result is a community that all too frequently finds itself on the fringe of a labor market and society. Add to that the struggles faced by many youth of Haitian descent. Many share stories of social isolation, academic challenges and the absence of parents who have to work outside the home to sustain the family and make a living. And that gap is where YoFES comes in.

YoFES strives to build strong families that can raise healthy children in the face of poverty and social inequities. How do we do this? We create interventions that engage community participation in the conception, design, development and implementation of our programs.

YoFES is committed to empowering our economically disadvantaged communities with a range of high-value educational services that strengthen our families. YoFES works to increase parents’ knowledge and understanding of the different stages of child development and provide them with the communication and nurturing skills that strengthen family relations.

We foster youth leadership through innovative and diverse programs. Our youth builders after-school and summer program, peer leadership, health and nutrition education and music programs develop students’ capacities for scholarly, civic and social engagement. It’s YoFES way of preparing youth to be future leaders of their communities.