Empower Youth

05/23/2026

Have you ever wondered what kind of skills it takes to be a leader? Do you want to gain financial literacy skills? Please use the attached QR code to sign your student up! If you have questions or concerns, please email [email protected].

05/21/2026

Looking for some summer fun for the kids? 🌞 Connect Christian Church is hosting a Summer Games mini-camp at the Empower Youth Ranch on June 5th, 6th, and 7th! Check out the flyer below for more details!
connectcc.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/3602494

04/28/2026

Last week marked the conclusion of our Dream Big program this year, a heartfelt initiative dedicated to sparking big dreams in the minds of kindergarteners across our region! We had the privilege of visiting schools in Amelia, Batavia, Bethel, Eastern Brown, Fayetteville, and Lynchburg, where we were inspired by the boundless hopes and aspirations of these incredible young learners.
The vision behind this program runs deeper than inspiration alone. We know that rest is the foundation of success, and in previous years we discovered that many of our students were going without basic bedding, with some having no beds or pillows of their own. This year, we made sure every child had what they needed to truly rest and dream. Each of the 650+ kindergarteners we visited received their very own tie-dye "Dream Big" pillow and a copy of Dream Big with Lori, two small gifts with the power to make a big difference.
None of this would have been possible without the generous financial support of American Modern/a Munich Re company, whose grant helped bring this vision to life. We are also incredibly grateful for the tireless dedication of the amazing people who made it happen on the ground. A heartfelt thank you to Amy Smith, Alicia Dorcey, and Career X from Live Oaks, along with Amanda Schott, Shauntay Mullis, and Brent Mullis. Because of your generosity and hard work, our littlest learners have everything they need to rest well, dream big, and reach for the stars!

04/20/2026

Empower Youth is proud to invite students to attend our first ever summer financial literacy and leadership skill course. We are offering this course to students at local libraries in Bethel, Amelia, and Felicity for students 4th through 12th grade. This course hopes to introduce students to financial literacy and leadership skills that they can use outside the classroom. We look forward to working with so many students! If you have questions or concerns, please email [email protected].

Summer 2026

03/31/2026

Big news at Empower Youth! 🎉
We’re excited to welcome Andrew Goolsby as the newest member of our Executive Board. We are grateful for his willingness to serve and honored to have him join the Empower Youth family. Please join us in welcoming Andrew!

03/06/2026

We’re thrilled to share some incredible news! Empower Youth has been honored with the 2026 Friend of Education Award from the Southwest Region of the Ohio School Boards Association (OSBA)! 🏆✨
This award recognizes those who go above and beyond to champion public education and strengthen communities. Since 2015, we’ve worked tirelessly to help students thrive by providing everything from weekend food packs and Dream Big programs to camp scholarships and life-changing mentorship.
Why This Matters
In Southwest Ohio, our mission is to break barriers and build confidence. This recognition from the OSBA reflects the heart of what we do: partnering with schools to ensure no child is left behind.
We are deeply humbled by this recognition. A massive thank you to the OSBA Southwest Region for this honor, and to our incredible volunteers and donors who make this work possible. We are more motivated to keep partnering with schools, teachers, and families across Southwest Ohio to create brighter futures for our youth.
Together, empowering students to build a brighter future.🎒❤️

Empower Youth is a 501c3 non-profit based in Clermont County, Ohio whose mission is to break the chains of generational poverty through alleviation and development programs

02/23/2026

We feel incredibly fortunate to have such an outstanding leadership team at Empower Youth.

This month, we’re saying a bittersweet goodbye to Kyla Hucker as she steps down from her board position to focus more on her personal business and responsibilities.

Kyla has been an absolute cornerstone of our organization. She spearheaded several key initiatives and played a pivotal role in making it possible for us to serve students and families at Amelia Elementary School today. Her vision, dedication, and leadership have left a lasting impact on everyone she’s touched.

We will deeply miss her presence on the board and the energy she brought to every decision and project. That said, we’re hopeful this is only a “see you later”, and that she’ll return in the future to take on an even more direct role when the timing is right.

On behalf of the entire Empower Youth team, the students, families, and everyone whose life she’s positively influenced: Thank you, Kyla, from the bottom of our hearts.

Your contributions have truly made a difference, and we’re so grateful for everything you’ve done. ❤️

02/03/2026

Last week, my wife and I finally got away for her birthday trip. Between serving so many students and trying to coordinate everything, taking a full week off is never easy, especially when we left right in the middle of a major snow storm. That definitely ramped up the stress! I'm deeply grateful to everyone who steps up week after week to support our work and our community, and especially to those who jumped in to help during this challenging week. A huge thank you to Darius for clearing the lot so we could get groups in to pack meals and receive that massive truckload of food. Without him, none of it would have happened. Thank you to Carrie, who always catches every loose end and keeps everything running smoothly no matter what. I also want to thank the amazing groups who braved the weather to pack: Amy's team, Jonathan's team, and Randy's team from Grant. And to all our dedicated school drivers, thank you for knowing exactly what to do, whether school is in session or not. I feel incredibly blessed to be surrounded by such hardworking, thoughtful, and reliable people. You truly held down the fort.
Many Blessings to each of you and your families!

12/16/2025

We are incredibly grateful to receive a generous Grant from the Fraternal Order of Eagles Batavia Aerie 2289!
This funding will enable us to provide more than 3000 weekend Food Packs to students in our area who may need extra help over the weekends. Thank you, Eagles, for everything you do to strengthen our community!
When you support the Eagles you support community!

12/15/2025

Our 2025 Winter Wonderland event has officially became our almost successful season ever!

Despite forecast of challenging weather that had us bracing for lower attendance, we were thrilled to see our numbers sore nearly 20% higher than projected, even with a few unexpected hiccups along the way.
This event is truly something special, made possible by everyone who attended and the incredible community that showed up to spread the Christmas cheer. Seeing it all come together so beautifully was an absolute blessing!
A huge thank you to each and every one of you! Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!