The pandemic has created a lot of hardships on Youth Guidance and our programs/students. Support of the Gala helps us continue to deliver programs like BAM, which a University of Chicago study showed reduces violent crime arrests by 50% and increases on-time high school graduation rates by nearly 20% for students in BAM compared to a control group.

Researchers have also found that WOW reduces PTSD, depression, and anxiety symptoms for young women.