REACH (Recreation, Employment readiness, Academic achievement, Communication skills, and Healthy lifestyle choices) is an after-school development program for disadvantaged youth. Designed to increase protective factors, REACH provides tutoring, job skills training, and life skills education, and other youth-oriented services that have been shown to help reduce school dropout, teen pregnancy, substance abuse and violence.

REACH operates in neighborhoods with high levels of poverty, lack of education, and gang activity which contribute to increased teen pregnancy rates, substance abuse, crime, violence, gang activity, sexually transmitted diseases, and school dropout. In some of the REACH target neighborhoods the average family income is $14,735, well below the federal poverty level of $19,350 for a family of four.

REACH is divided into two age categories:

Junior REACH focuses on adolescents 9 to 12 years old.

PROJECT REACH focuses on teens 12 to 18 years old.


Program components include violence prevention, substance abuse prevention, (age appropriate) reproductive health, mental health and increased self-esteem, art classes, field trips, physical fitness, and community service learning. REACH participants show an increase in GPA, communication skills, ability to avoid high-risk influences and situations, and increased family communication.

“Since coming to REACH, the changes I’ve made are stopped doing drugs and started doing my homework” Daniel, 15
(Click here to read more about Daniel and his accomplishments)

“At REACH I get help with my homework. My goal now is to have good grades, get a job and stay out of trouble.” Hector, 13