Families & Youth Inc.
Grants Awarded
Families & Youth, Inc. (FYI) aims to enhance Outdoor Equity for New Mexico youth through the ‘Outdoor Legacy Project,’ focusing on engagement, education, equipping, encouragement, and empowerment. By providing culturally-grounded and trauma-informed programs like camps, conservation projects, and civic activities, the initiative seeks to foster a therapeutic relationship with nature, ultimately benefiting both participants and the local community.
FYI+’s Outdoor Legacy Project aims to foster a nurturing relationship between youth and the outdoors while benefiting the local community by engaging families in outdoor recreation. The program has successfully reached over 150 participants at no cost and seeks to expand its impact by using social media and videos to promote outdoor equity and enhance community connections.
Families & Youth, Inc. (FYI) will enhance Outdoor Equity for New Mexico youth through the management of the Outdoor Legacy Project. This initiative aims to provide young people with access to outdoor experiences, fostering personal growth and community engagement. Ultimately, it aspires to cultivate a healthier, more connected community by empowering youth to appreciate and embrace their natural environment.
Families & Youth, Inc. (FYI) fosters Outdoor Equity for New Mexico youth through the Outdoor Legacy Project, which focuses on education in conservation and culture, equipping participants with essential skills and resources, and empowering them to take ownership of their relationship with the outdoors. This program enhances youth engagement in outdoor activities—from fishing and camping to conservation projects—ultimately promoting a healthier community with informed and responsible stewards of local natural resources.
Families and Youth, Inc.’s (FYI+) mission is to promote a safer and healthier community by focusing on families and children. For over 45 years, FYI+ has been a trusted provider throughout Las Cruces and Southern New Mexico—providing youth and their families with resources, support, and opportunities with the goal of making a healthier and safer community. As a social enterprise champion for gender-affirming and inclusive practices across Southern New Mexico, FYI+’s vision is to design and implement responsive, meaningful, and sustainable community-based solutions that improve the health, safety, security, and well-being of members of our community. FYI+ will continue to be a steadfast pillar in the community to advocate for marginalized and underrepresented groups and integrate those values into the marketing, branding, and social media efforts. FYI recently received the first Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) planning and implementation grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) in New Mexico. CCBHCs are required to serve anyone who requests care for mental health or substance use, regardless of their ability to pay, place of residence, or age—including developmentally appropriate care for children and youth. As a result, we often serve as a “single point of entry” for comprehensive, integrated, and collaborative care for our most vulnerable families and children in local communities. Currently, FYI+ is securing additional state funding to expand its comprehensive service delivery model that will yield a wrap-around case management structure inclusive of all state resources. FYI+ has over 45 years of experience in implementing programming, resource & referral, navigation, and data collection/evaluation and offers a variety of programming and services, including House of Kahlo (HOK), Juntos, The Neighborhood Housing, Catalyst, Ganas, Transitional living, Nurtured connections, Child and Adult Care Food Program, Rainbow Connections, trauma-informed yoga, and the Outdoor Legacy Project. FYI+ takes pride in setting the standard of quality services geared towards youth, young adults, and families. Through our Outdoor Legacy Project, for example, FYI+ provides outdoor equity and access for families to explore, develop, nurture, and maintain a meaningful, responsible, and healing relationship with the New Mexico Outdoors and natural resources.