Youth Enrichment Services

What Youth Enrichment Services does

Youth Enrichment Services (YES) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1968 and headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. It provides free outdoor adventure and youth development programming to children and adolescents ages 6–18 from underserved neighborhoods of Boston, specifically Roxbury, Jamaica Plain, Dorchester, and Mattapan. Core program lines include Outdoor Adventure, Track & Field, Teen Leadership Corps, Operation Snowsports, and YES Rentals Shop, all delivered at no cost to participants. YES also runs the Bikes program, which expanded to Saturday afternoons and posted +89% enrollment growth over two years.

Name

Youth Enrichment Services

Legal name

Youth Enrichment Services

Website

https://yeskids.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1968

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Development Services

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620), Child and Youth Services (62411)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Arts, Sports & Recreation-Based Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth Multi-Sport Camps (General Athletics, Summer Camps) (MPAKAJAA), Adventure Multi-Sport Camps & Skills Academies (THAAAKAM), Youth Adventure Camps & Summer Programs (THAAAOAB)

Keywords

• Youth development programs
• Outdoor adventure activities
• Nonprofit youth services
• Leadership development training
• Community fundraising events

Headquarters

HQ city

Boston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible charitable contributions from individuals supporting YES's mission to provide outdoor enrichment programs to Boston youth.
2. Black Diamond Gala: Annual flagship fundraising event generating significant revenue. The 2026 Gala raised $850,000 from over 300 supporters, corporate sponsors, and auction participants.
3. Event Fundraising: Revenue from endurance events including Boston Marathon team ($10,000 per runner), Rodman Ride for Kids ($2,500 per rider), Harbor Cruise ($35 tickets), Trivia Nights ($30 tickets), and 5K races ($40 entry fee with fundraising encouraged).
4. Corporate and Foundation Sponsorship: Support from corporations and foundations at various levels ($10,000+) for Fiscal Year 2025. Includes event sponsorships, general operating support, and capital campaign contributions.
5. Capital Campaign: Major fundraising effort for new headquarters at 267 Amory Street, Jamaica Plain. Total cost $15 million with $12.4 million fundraising goal; nearly $10 million raised to date.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

YES provides free outdoor adventure and leadership development programs to Boston youth ages 6-18 from low-and-moderate income households in Roxbury, Jamaica Plain, Dorchester, and Mattapan. Core offerings include snowsports (skiing/snowboarding), biking, rock climbing, kayaking, track & field, and the Teen Leadership Corps, all delivered free of charge through direct staff and volunteer coaches. Support activities include the YES Rentals Shop for equipment access and intensive fundraising events.

Product overview

Youth Enrichment Services offers a portfolio of outdoor adventure and youth development programs for Boston youth ages 6-18 from low-and-moderate income households. The core offerings include: Outdoor Adventure Programs (biking, rock climbing, kayaking), Track and Field, Teen Leadership Corps, Operation Snowsports (skiing/snowboarding), and a Rentals Shop. Programs are free to participants and run across three seasons, serving over 1,400 youth annually. The organization is constructing a new headquarters in Jamaica Plain to expand capacity.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Richard Williams Youth Development Center: State-of-the-art headquarters facility under construction at 267 Amory Street, Jamaica Plain, named after YES's founder Richard Williams.

Products and services

• Outdoor Adventure Programs Three-seasons of outdoor adventure activities including biking, rock climbing, kayaking, and hiking for Boston youth ages 6-18, offered free of charge to low-and-moderate income households.
• Track and Field Program Year-round track and field and cross country programs for youth of various ages, developing appreciation for healthy activities and sports fundamentals.
• Teen Leadership Corps Leadership development program for teens focused on building skills for success post-high school through mentoring, career exploration, college preparation, and program leadership opportunities.
• Operation Snowsports YES's largest program where youth are inspired through skiing and snowboarding, many experiencing these sports for the first time, with winter programming at local ski areas.
• YES Rentals Shop Equipment rental service providing bikes and outdoor gear to youth participants who need equipment to join YES programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• 89% increase in biking program enrollment over two years, reaching nearly 200 youth this spring
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and notable.

• Urban EdgecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUrban Edge, one of Boston's largest low-income housing providers, partners with YES to host the Outdoor Adventure Biking Program at their Jamaica Plain location. Nearly 200 youth participate in biking sessions at Urban Edge each spring, with program expansion to Saturday afternoons to meet growing demand.
• Martin Richard FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-hosts the Annual Martin Richard Memorial One Mile Invitational with YES, USA Track & Field New England, and Adaptive Sports New England. Event held at Moakley Park Saunders Stadium, with 100% of funds raised supporting YES programs.
• USA Track & Field - New EnglandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-hosts Annual Martin Richard Memorial One Mile Invitational. Provides race management expertise and connections for track & field programming.
• Adaptive Sports New EnglandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-hosts Annual Martin Richard Memorial One Mile Invitational. Provides adaptive racing opportunities for blind and mobility-challenged participants.
• World Cup Dreams FoundationnotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerOlympic and elite alpine skiing athletes from WCDF attend YES Black Diamond Gala to inspire youth. Foundation supports next generation of elite snowsports athletes through funding, mentorship, and resources. Includes athletes Patrick Kenney, Bea May, Kyle Negomir, Cooper Puckett.
• USA Track & Field FoundationnotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerElite track & field athletes including Olympian Heather MacLean attend YES Black Diamond Gala to inspire youth participants. Foundation supports development of elite runners and rising stars.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Outward Bound USA: National nonprofit delivering outdoor adventure-based character and leadership programs for youth and adults. Most directly comparable peer to YES in mission (outdoor adventure as vehicle for youth development) and methodology (experiential outdoor instruction), though operating at much larger national scale.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston: Boston-based nonprofit youth development organization serving low-income youth across multiple Boston neighborhoods with after-school and enrichment programming. Direct peer by geography, target population (low-income Boston youth), and youth-development mission.
• Appalachian Mountain Club: Northeast-based outdoor recreation and conservation nonprofit offering youth programming, schools outreach, and adventure activities in the same geography YES serves. Closest peer in combining outdoor adventure instruction, environmental education, and youth access programming in the region.
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Massachusetts: Boston-area youth-mentorship nonprofit pairing adults with youth, including a Teen Leadership Corps-style track comparable to YES's Teen Leadership program. Comparable in target population, mission (under-served youth development), and Boston fundraising ecosystem.
• Share Winter Foundation: Foundation funding youth snowsports access nationally — a near-perfect peer to YES's Operation Snowsports (largest program with 600+ youth). Already a YES corporate supporter; comparable mission of removing financial barriers to skiing/snowboarding for underserved youth.
• Playworks: National nonprofit bringing structured physical activity and youth development programming into schools serving low-income communities. Comparable in providing free sports/physical-activity access to under-served youth and in school/community partnership-driven delivery model.

Broad incumbents

• YMCA of Greater Boston: Large, multi-branch Boston YMCA serving youth and families across the metro with sports, swim, camp, and teen programming. Operates as a broad incumbent in the same youth-recreation space with overlapping activities (ski trips, biking, swim) but a much wider portfolio.
• National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS): Larger, national-scale outdoor education provider teaching wilderness, leadership, and outdoor skills to youth and adults. Comparable in outdoor-adventure pedagogy and leadership-development focus, though a fee-based model rather than free-to-youth.

Others

• City Year Boston: Boston site of national AmeriCorps youth service program placing young adults as near-peer mentors in under-resourced schools. Shares the Boston under-served youth focus, corporate and institutional funding base (Citi, etc.), and mentor-driven model.
• Horizons for Homeless Children: Massachusetts-based nonprofit serving homeless and at-risk children through enrichment programs and volunteer engagement. Comparable in target demographic (Boston underserved youth) and in leveraging volunteers to deliver free programming.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses6 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/yeskidsboston
• Facebookfacebook.com/yeskidsboston
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/youth-enrichment-services

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Youth Enrichment Services