Institute for the Development of African-American Youth, Inc. (IDAAY) was founded by S. Archye Leacock and a colleague in May 1991. This organization has been formed in response to the alarming statistics characterizing the high level of violence reflected in the lives of disadvantaged youth in the Philadelphia area.
A large segment of the city’s minority youth resides in high-risk, “hotspot” neighborhoods and are under-educated, besieged by social and economic problems, as well as denied of cultural opportunities essential for a well-rounded, productive life. To address these issues, the co-founders built the organization based on the following mission:
Effective Guidance
Communication Skills
Self Esteem
Leadership
Family Support
For almost 30 years, IDAAY has been providing educational, cultural, prevention and intervention programs and support services that aims to reduce high-level violence to underserved urban youth.