About Fresh Youth Initiatives

Our Mission & Vision

FYI's mission is to support and encourage the efforts of young people in Washington Heights and Inwood to design and carry out community service projects, develop leadership skills, fulfill their potential, and realize their dreams.

Our Vision
FYI rests on the premise that young people are a respectable, concerned, powerful, yet under-utilized force in their community. FYI views young people as assets to be developed (not problems who need fixing), who have the time, ideas, creativity, connections in the community, and willingness to work hard in order to help themselves and others. Providing them with support and encouragement, experience and skills, FYI endeavors to demonstrate that young people, given the chance, can be strong and positive change agents, playing a meaningful role in meeting community needs.

FYI's History

Recognizing that young people in Washington Heights lack safe, structured, and engaging ways to spend time in the non-school hours of the day, Fresh Youth Initiatives (FYI) was launched in 1993, by Founding Director Andrew Rubinson, as a community-based youth organization that focused on community service. Throughout the years, FYI realized that leadership skills were being developed through the community service activities. Since then, FYI has redefined itself to become a youth development organization that uses community service and enrichment activities as a vehicle to teach young people leadership and life skills.

Starting from his own apartment in 1993, Andrew began working with a small group of local youth on one service project. Over time, he was able to involve more young people in a broader menu of projects, and with the help of many community partners, he built an organization to support them.

During his 13 years as the Executive Director, Andrew helped FYI raise over $7 million for its day-to-day programming efforts, and $4 million for the beautiful building we currently inhabit.

FYI's Financial Documents

2010 IRS Form 990 2009 IRS Form 990 2010 FYI's Auditors' Report 2009 FYI's Auditors' Report FYI's Guidestar Listing

Community Partners

Since its inception, FYI has counted on collaborations with numerous partners – we rely on individuals, schools, corporations, and other community-based organizations to broaden our impact. Some of our past and current partners are: