Family & Youth Initiatives

Family & Youth Initiatives (FYI), originally began as Tri-County Women's Network in 1978. Co-founded by Pat Banaszak and Carol Tipton, its primary goal was to provide free education and support services to struggling teen mothers. In its first 15 years, the Women's Network served over 1,200 families via three centers in Southwest Ohio.

In 1993, the Women's Network experienced a 45% surge in requests for pregnancy tests from girls ages 10 to 11. This shocking trend inspired the organization to change its name to Family & Youth Initiatives and and to broaden its mission to represent several services.

FYI now represents several community services, including:
*Education for pregnant women and parents with young children.
This includes an "earn-while-you-learn" program, offering families a
way to earn daily necessities, such as diapers, formula and baby
food for free.
*A free preschool program specializing in developing social and
emotional skills.
*A proactive in-school program for middle and high school teens that
focuses on: developing healthy relationships, character building, and
the realities and consequences of engaging in at-risk behaviors.
Topics include: sexual activity, drug and alcohol abuse and teen
dating violence.
*A peer-to-peer mentoring program for grades 6-12 that teaches the
facts and harmful effects of tobacco, alcohol and other drug use;
and encourages students to make healthy, long lasting choices.
*A community garden; nutrition and cooking classes.
*GED and job skills classes and several other adult development
courses.

With the support of our local community, we can continue to offer these services and more to the people within our reach. We want every person who walks in our door – at whatever stage of life – to walk out changed and better equipped to thrive today and have hope for their future.

How can you empower someone through FYI? Visit us at www.fyiohio/get-involved to see how you can help.