A Message from the President and Chairman

Mr. Kellogg’s vision is one we can all believe in, and IYF is both a product and proponent of that foresight. Twenty years ago, in 1990, his namesake foundation made its largest investment ever to launch IYF with a daunting but inspiring charge: seek out partners and programs capable of lifting our most vulnerable youth upward.

It was a risky proposition—but not nearly as risky as doing nothing. The deficiency of youth-centric programs at that time was alarming, especially for youth between the ages of five and 25.

Now, two decades later, 12 million young people have benefited from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation’s foresight and IYF’s programs. Our learning programs have delivered innovative technologies to the most remote rural classrooms. Our work initiatives have empowered teens to choose careers over crime. Our focus on citizenship has enabled young social entrepreneurs to initiate substantial change in their communities.

The journey has made IYF a recognized thought leader in youth development and a go-to resource for insights and best practices. We’re bringing proven programs to scale and leveraging their success to launch new ones with USAID, the World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank, and other leading institutions. Major corporations like Nokia, Starbucks, Microsoft and Laureate, among others, continue investing in IYF to design and deliver unique corporate social responsibility projects. These visionary companies see dividends in the form of young, engaged adults who are ready to thrive in the global economy.

Of course, we’ve had lots of help to get where we are. IYF’s accomplishments over the past 20 years have been made possible by the boundless dedication of our ever-growing partner network. We also send out a special thanks to our staff, our Board, and the many donors who have staunchly supported our mission. We look forward to personally sharing our gratitude at anniversary celebrations throughout the year.

We also look forward to writing the next chapters of our story, which are already underway. Although no one can predict exactly what lies around the corner, we do know that we can—and must—prepare more young people to flourish in any circumstance.

Mr. Kellogg understood that, given the right opportunities, young people are capable of extraordinary things. It’s up to all of us to nurture their innate desires to do good, to remove obstacles from their paths and to unleash their true potential. Together, we can help even more young people realize promising futures—for themselves and for us all—in the decades to come.