NEWS

NEW NONPROFIT COLLECTIVE SEEKS TO BUILD CAPACITY OF ALL NONPROFITS SERVING DISENGAGED, DISCONNECTED YOUTH

For immediate release: March 18, 2025

Contact: Michael Duggan, Executive Director

203.554.6489 or [email protected]

Hartford, CT — The executive directors of seven Connecticut nonprofit organizations announced today the creation of the 119K To Zero collective, which will work to expand Connecticut’s capacity to address the issues facing the state’s 119,000 disengaged and disconnected youth.

The collective seeks to help decisionmakers understand the economic, human, social benefits of building the capacity of nonprofits serving disengaged and disconnected youth. As experts in the field, they also stand ready to train other motivated nonprofits in the evidence- supported interventions and activities that are proven to help this population of young people. This would allow the state to have skilled practitioners in any community ready and willing to act.

A recommendation from the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities’ Young People First report (2024) was to “build the capacity of non-profits who serve disconnected young people.” According to the report, for every disconnected young person who gets back on track, Connecticut stands to gain:

  • approximately $150-180k in additional tax revenue
  • approximately $60k in lower spending on government services over their lifetime

The seven nonprofits, which are scattered throughout the state, have been focused on this high-risk population for years. They are focused on building capacity to:

  • Connect severely disconnected young people to our programs to reduce gun/gang violence.
  • Support workforce reintegration programs for formerly incarcerated and severely disconnected youth to reduce recidivism.
  • Expand workforce development opportunities for disconnected young people, where they learn skills, earn money, and obtain unsubsidized full-time employment on the path to self- sufficiency.
  • Re-engage disengaged young people in school through alternative learning opportunities, student support advocates, and family advocates.