Our first vote, our first gift, our impact together
You gave. You voted. And together, we chose our first Young Life opportunity to fund.
In Chile, a group of deaf teenagers is about to experience the heart of Young Life: Caring leaders who enter their world and speak their language.
For more than 2,000 school-aged deaf children in Chile, daily life unfolds in a world built for hearing people. Over 95% are born into families where no one knows Chilean Sign Language, and fewer than 1% of Christian communities are accessible to deaf people.
This is what The Circle’s members chose to change.
In our first vote, members selected Young Life Chile’s “Breaking the Silence” to receive our first $10,000 pooled gift.
What our $10,000 gift makes possible
When we pool our gifts, we can fully fund a real plan. Young Life Chile is now moving forward to:
- Hire a part-time staff coordinator to oversee and expand deaf ministry across Chile
- Train 8 to 10 deaf and hearing leaders in Chilean Sign Language and inclusive ministry
- Provide 20 full camp scholarships and transportation for deaf students to attend Young Life camp
"Young Life Chile is breaking the silence and indifference by building a place where deaf teens are heard, valued, and loved in a language they can fully understand."
Looking ahead, the team plans to launch two bilingual, inclusive Young Life clubs in 2027. Most of all, deaf teenagers will have caring leaders who enter their world, learn their language, and introduce them to the friendship, life, and love of Jesus.
Two more ministries worth knowing
Every member cast one equal vote. Choosing was not simple because all three proposals showed caring leaders entering the lives of young people.
In New York City, Young Life College’s “Equipping Future Leaders” asked us to invest in Nysiem, a first-generation college student who encountered Jesus at City College New York and is now pursuing a call to ministry through the two-year NextGen Leaders program.
In Phoenix, YoungLives’ “Two Generations of Hope” asked us to help 19 teen moms, their children, and their mentors attend camp at Lost Canyon—giving young mothers space to rest and laugh while their children receive loving care nearby.
We promised to share every ministry with our community after the vote so members could discover their work. If you felt drawn to Nysiem’s leadership journey or the young moms in Phoenix, you can explore their stories and support their work directly:
*Proposals that don’t receive top votes are eligible to be considered for future voting cycles.
What we did together
Whether you voted for Chile, New York, or Phoenix, you are part of this gift.
That is the heartbeat of The Circle. Nobody carries it alone. We give what we can, bring our voices, and become part of something larger than any one of us could do on our own. One member, one vote—no matter the monthly amount.
Thank you to every Founding Member who helped make this first cycle possible. Your monthly gift and your vote just opened the door for deaf kids in Chile to be known, understood, and loved.
What comes next
Our first vote is complete, but our rhythm continues. The Circle votes four times a year, giving our collective funding to one Young Life opportunity at a time.
Three new ministry opportunities will arrive directly by text and email in our next voting cycle.
If you’d like to help The Circle grow, and if you have friends or family who would love to multiply their giving and vote alongside us, invite them to join at thecircle.younglife.org before the next cycle begins.
