Youth In Action Canada Community Outreach ("Yiacco") was founded in 2008 to assist children and youths in using their leisure time productively. With a dedicated team of volunteers, we created a before-and-after school activity program in several troubled neighborhoods in my local city, aiming to keep children engaged and safe from negative influences.

We had recently moved to the North Kipling area of Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada. It seemed like the only affordable option at the time after returning from the U.S. Following a separation, I was focused on establishing a financial path for my children and myself. With very few rental vacancies throughout the city, I felt fortunate to find a suitable and affordable place in a predominantly family-oriented neighborhood. After waiting patiently for several months in a small basement apartment, this opportunity finally arose.

The area was full of children of all nationalities, and for over a year, there were no signs of unusual activity. Thus, it was an enormous shock when my babysitter called me at the office in a panic, saying that gunmen were shooting in the lobby and front of the building directly below our apartment. I raced home to find several police officers roping off areas of the building with yellow tape, as multiple windows and doors had been shattered by gunfire. I thanked God that all the children were still in school.

Desperate to find a safer place to live, I searched for weeks, but nothing suitable appeared. Meanwhile, news reports painted a grim picture of the area, claiming it was infested with drugs and that dealers were using young children to deliver drugs to users in the buildings. To say I was frightened and desperate to escape that environment would be an understatement. In my desperation, I prayed for help and felt a response that brought me peace and assurance, encouraging me to be part of the solution rather than run away. With these thoughts, I felt I had divine protection and assistance.

I reached out to several parents and college students in the area, who came together to volunteer their time for the before-and-after-school recreational programs. These initiatives provided safe spaces in schools, churches, and recreation centers, helping to make the programs a remarkable success. Thus, Youth in Action Canada Community Outreach (YICCO) was born.

Over the years, I struggled financially as a young single mom with two small boys, ages five and nine, but I was able to fund the organization as a personal business owner and entrepreneur. On many occasions, we received sponsorship help from local businesses in the community.

I kept the program running for many years, but in 2017, I scaled back the initiative to attend Bible college. Upon graduation at the end of 2019, we found ourselves in a pandemic that brought almost everything to a standstill. In 2024, I decided to move forward with the organization once more, as the need to be a beacon of light for youth in the city was greater than ever. The income from my small business, which we relied on in the past to keep the organization afloat, was no longer sufficient to meet the needs and demands of our programs.

Back in 2014, we launched an annual event called Little Miss & Mr. Ontario, designed to help youth develop their gifts and talents from the ages of five to fourteen. We have since rebranded the event as the Youth in Action Talent Showcase (YIATS). 

This event provides an opportunity for young people to showcase their talents and skills in a supportive environment, helping them elevate their craft and discover their unique abilities while competing for gifts, grants, and scholarships. We aim to encourage every participant to set achievable goals, and regardless of their placement in the competition, they will be happy with their results.

Their willingness to put themselves out there allows us to further invest in the ongoing development of our program, the Young Artist Academy, which has been established to provide weekly training, tutoring, and mentorship for the best possible outcomes.