YoungLives Phoenix, Two Generations of Hope
Phoenix, AZ
When a teenage mom discovers the love of Jesus, the story of her child's future begins to change, too.
Every teenage mom deserves someone who believes in her—and every child deserves to grow up knowing they are deeply loved. YoungLives creates a place where young mothers are welcomed without judgment, surrounded by caring mentors, and introduced to the hope of Jesus while their children receive loving care. Your vote will help remove financial barriers that keep young moms from attending Winter Camp, creating space for rest, friendship, laughter, and joy. Together, we can help young families discover that their story is not defined by hardship but by the transforming love of Christ and a Young Life community that walks beside them.
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The opportunity
Imagine becoming a mother before finishing high school.
While your friends are thinking about homework, sports, or college, you're trying to provide for your child, and navigate adulthood before you've had the chance to finish childhood yourself.
That is the reality for many teen moms.
In Phoenix, AZ, YoungLives reaches teen moms who come from a wide variety of circumstances, including foster care, group homes, and homes without stable parental support. Many experience poverty, unhealthy relationships, food insecurity, housing instability, and educational challenges. Yet every week they are welcomed by caring leaders who remind them that they are deeply loved and capable of building a hopeful future for themselves and their children.
The need is significant. Approximately 38% of mothers who have their first child before age 18 finish high school, and more than 40% live at or below the poverty level within one year of giving birth—a figure that rises to 50% by the time their child turns three. These statistics reflect more than economic hardship; they represent young women carrying enormous responsibilities while still growing into adulthood themselves.
YoungLives believes that every expectant and parenting teenager deserves to experience the love of Jesus through authentic relationships, practical support, and caring mentors who walk alongside them. Winter Camp offers something many of these young moms have never experienced: the opportunity to simply be teenagers again while their children are lovingly cared for nearby. It is a place where they can rest, laugh, build friendships, and encounter Jesus in a community that sees both them and their children as deeply valued.
The plan
Provide 40 scholarships for teen moms, their children and their leaders to YoungLives' Winter Camp at Lost Canyon, a Young Life Camp in Arizona, in November including bus transportation and matching t-shirts.
Expected outcomes
- 40 teen moms, their children and leaders will attend YoungLives Winter Camp in November.
- Teen moms will discover they are deeply loved by God and surrounded by a community that believes in them.
- Children of teen moms will receive loving childcare at camp, giving their moms space to rest, play, and simply be teenagers again.
- Long lasting relationships will be built and remain with them long after camp, helping young families build a stronger future together.
“When a mom encounters Christ at camp, two generations are changed.”
Vote for YoungLives Phoenix and help young moms and their children experience Winter Camp, a caring mentor relationship and the invitation to know and follow Jesus.