Known
Know Jesus
Young Life is blessed with a team of staff and volunteers who are committed to going deeper in their relationship with Christ, and deeper in their friendships with kids.
Delores Beamon, Area Director for Northwest Jacksonville, shared the story of a high school student who attended Windy Gap this past summer. This teenager was invited to "come and see," but didn't have any interest in hearing about God. Each day in cabin time, the Lord used a peer to speak words of wisdom that had a profound impact on this camper. Delores remarked, "I love how God knows what we need and raises up someone to get the job done."
Delores and her team of staff and leaders were faithful in their pursuit of this camper, as are leaders across Northeast Florida. Each day, staff and leaders make a huge impact in a kid's life, often in an unexpected way. Day after day, we hear stories of dependability and grace on behalf of our staff and leaders, who model Christ's love day in and day out. It is stories of kids accepting Christ and having their lives changed for eternity.
Know Kids
In 2023, 5,615 kids were known by name. An average of 1,079 attended Club weekly, and 333 students attended weekly discipleship meetings, called Campaigners – a 24% increase over the previous year.
Our team of dedicated staff and volunteers continues to grow as well, enabling us to continue to reach every kid.
And, after a few difficult years due to COVID-19, 1,155 kids attended camp, whether it was a weekend camp at our Southwind property in Ocklawaha, Florida, or a weeklong summer camp at a Young Life property across the country. So far this school year, 783 kids have heard the Gospel at a weekend camp, and we are on track to bring more kids to camp this summer than in the past 5 years.
Make Him Known
Young Life continues to pursue every kid. Locally, our Sojourners (YL One) ministry to teens in the foster care system has taken off. Young Life College programs continue to grow, with many training the next generation of Young Life leaders and staff.
Capernaum also continues to expand. In 2022, Young Life in Nassau County launched a Capernaum club, making it the 5th outreach to young people with disabilities in Northeast Florida.
Young Life in Arlington – a historic area – has relaunched programs at Terry Parker High School. David Uribe, Mission Staff, is in the process of developing the first Spanish-speaking Club in Northeast Florida. And in Northwest Jacksonville, partnerships with Elevate continue to transform the culture of Raines and Ribault High Schools.
Together
As we work toward the goal of building teams that reflect the body of Christ and the communities we serve, we are also focusing on the health of our local staff and ministries. Over the past year, we have organized Area Directors into three clusters (Duval/Nassau, St. Johns/Clay, Northeast Central Florida Metro), held all-metro Clubs, and experienced inclusive camping experiences.
Finances
Our ministry is supported by over 4,500 individuals, corporations, foundations, and churches throughout Northeast Florida. Of these, 20% are recurring donors. We are grateful for their support, and are pleased to share that all of our areas ended the 2023 fiscal year in the black, with a total cash reserve of $323,800.
we believe
You were made for this. In Young Life, we wholeheartedly believe that God has made every person uniquely in His image. We believe that teenagers and college students want to be known and loved. Ultimately, that unconditional love comes from Jesus, the one who came to earth, died, and rose again so they could have eternal life. This free gift begins at the moment they believe; He desires that they would live life to the full (John 10:10). Amid all the uncertainty in our world and the pressure and struggles of adolescence, we believe in a God who is alive and present in our lives. Our desire is that every kid would have the opportunity to know Jesus, believe in Him, and follow Him for their entire lives. That is what we – and we believe all people – were made for.
growth fund
The Northeast Florida Growth Fund allows our financial partners to invest in the future of Young Life in Northeast Florida as we seek to provide long-term, sustainable ministry so that every kid in our geographic area has the opportunity to hear the life-changing story of Jesus Christ.
65 YEARS OF LOCAL HISTORY
IT STARTED WITH ONE HIGH SCHOOL
Tens of thousands of lives have been changed forever. Today, we have over 40 ministries in 8 counties. But we're not stopping!
known
WE ARE COMMITTED TO THE YOUNG LIFE GOAL OF
Knowing kids by name, for a purpose. We continue to expand our team to include full- and part-time staff from diverse backgrounds to better reach students in every community. This includes starting 5 new YoungLives ministries, doubling our Capernaum ministry, launching a second ministry to teens in foster care, and re-establishing Club Beyond at NAS Mayport.
OUR PRAYER
BY 2027, WE WILL HAVE 20 FLAGSHIP HIGH SCHOOL CLUBS AND A STAFF PERSON FOR EVERY GEOGRAPHIC AREA
This means 45 full-time and 30 part-time ministry staff overseeing 77 ministries.
$3 MILLION IN 3 YEARS
JOIN US AS WE CONTINUE TO MEET TEENS ON THEIR TURF AND EARN THE RIGHT TO SHARE THE GOSPEL
We invite you to prayerfully consider making a gift now – online, by check, or through a stock transfer – a 3-year pledge, or in your estate planning.
