Our Mission
"Empowering youth to succeed now and in the future."
Our History
Rabun Youth is a non-profit organization which began in 1994 by a group of concerned adults who recognized the need to provide positive activities for the youth of Rabun County. Our mission became to empower youth to succeed now and in the future. Iinitially, Rabun Youth offered evening weekend events chaperoned and supported by volunteers. In 1997 and 1998 Rabun Youth received state funding for the purchase of a building and the building in Tiger across from the elementary school was purchased. In 1998 Rabun Youth won a community bid to host Rhapsody in Rabun, a community black tie evening event that allows all proceeds to go to an elected program. The proceeds from this event allowed the Rabun Youth program to expand by offering an after school program. By the fall of 1999, with the help and generosity of hundreds of local businesses and individuals and partnering with the Georgia Council on Alcohol and Drugs, Rabun Youth was able to hire a part time program director and assistant staff. Rabun Youth now is able to provide a free afterschool program for students in 6th-12th grade.
Because of the lower number of students we serve, as well as dedication from our board members and volunteer teachers, we are able to provide more individualized help with homework afterschool allowing for our students to better excel at academics. In addition to individualized help and tutoring for our students, our program also offers a Drug and Alcohol Prevention program as well as a life skills course, sports, arts and crafts, movies, time to hang with their friends, day trips, volunteering in the community, and various other activities.
This last summer with very little notice we started a summer program for students 1st -7th grade providing students with a summer program which included arts and crafts, sports, music, and dance. Our local Community Partnership contributed to the program by providing snacks and healthy sack lunches for all the students attending our program. We are looking forward to continuing this program this year.