ICAN: Positive Programs for Youth

ICAN was founded in 1991 by a concerned citizen in Chandler, AZ. Henry Salinas was a humble man who saw gang violence taking over his Chandler neighborhood and decided to do something about it. Henry's initial investment of time and compassion to area teens has blossomed into a full-service youth center whose programs are still free to the Chandler community whom Henry held so dear, and now impacts youth, teens and their families. For over 28 years, ICAN has remained dedicated to its mission to provide free, comprehensive programs that empower youth to be productive, self-confident, and responsible members of the community. ICAN's goal is to break the cycle of poverty, creating a new pathway for youth to achieve future success. ICAN is unique because our programming - including healthy snacks, meals and transportation - are offered free of charge to remove the barriers that can prevent low income families from accessing needed services. ICAN serves 500 largely minority youth (ages 5-18) living in low-income Chandler neighborhoods with free afterschool programs. ICAN’s nationally-recognized prevention programming teaches disadvantaged youth real-life skills including goal setting, positive decision making and how to avoid the risky behaviors that are prevalent in the community ICAN serves, with a focus on gang involvement, substance abuse and juvenile delinquency. ICAN is accredited by the National Council on Accreditation and was recently named Outstanding Afterschool Program by the Arizona Center for After School Excellence. ICAN stands apart from traditional after-school programs - which are mostly recreational in nature - in that it serves a specific underserved community; charges no fees for services; uses nationally-recognized and Evidence-Based curricula; is accredited through the National Council on Accreditation, and uses an independently-conducted, structured evaluation to maintain a focus on quality. Learn more at www.icanaz.org