MISSION:
City Youth Matrix connects youth with enrichment opportunities so they may achieve their full potential in life.
CONNECT
At CYM, we believe every child should have the chance to explore their interests and unlock their full potential. We connect youth to high-quality extracurricular activities, from STEM programs and art classes to outdoor education. This year, with the support of scholarships covering 95% of costs, over 125 youth have been able to participate in enriching programs that would otherwise be out of reach. Your donation helps us ensure that each child has access to the experiences that ignite their curiosity and foster lifelong learning.
EMPOWER
We know that strong families build strong communities. Through our family engagement system, CYM empowers parents to navigate resources, strengthen their relationships with their children, and grow in their roles as advocates for their families. Our Family Empowerment program supports over 60 families through workshops, job training panels, and family dinners, all designed to foster connection and growth. By contributing to CYM, you invest in a brighter future for both parents and children in our community.
ENGAGE
It takes a village to raise a child, and at CYM, we’re deeply committed to engaging our community. We partner with local organizations and businesses to offer programs. We reinvest your donations right back into Frederick County businesses through our scholarships. Volunteers give their time and expertise to help our families thrive, from teaching coding and robotics to leading nature hikes and art workshops. Your support strengthens these partnerships and makes it possible for us to keep building a network of opportunity.
Our Vision: City Youth Matrix envisions a world where all families have access to knowledge about youth programs and resources to access them so their children may reach their full potential in life.
Our Values: City Youth Matrix believes that investing in youth is the most important determining factor for a strong community. However, youth can’t thrive without an empowered parent. Empowered parents offer the single most sustainable hope for the success of a child.
We also believe that for youth to thrive, it takes a strong network of individuals—a matrix within the community—working together: families, volunteers, coaches, drivers, teachers, staff, and donors.
City Youth Matrix also believes that by creating a matrix within the community, we are a relationship factory. We believe that by introducing children and their families to a diverse group of peers, mentors, community liaisons, and experts through enrichment programs, we help them to heal from trauma, build social networks, strengthen character, learn leadership skills, and open up endless opportunities.
Mission, Programs and Services
MISSION
City Youth Matrix connects youth with enrichment opportunities so they may achieve their full potential in life.
We accomplish our mission by offering three programs:
Ongoing Enrichment
These enrichment experiences are provided by the experts in the community. Examples are: Let There Be Rock, Frederick Gymnastics, 24/7 Dance, I-9 Sports, The Delaplaine Arts Center, and Code Ninjas.
Monthly Workshops
Currently there are two facets of the monthly workshops: General Workshops and Outdoor Education Workshops. Examples of general workshops include: Woodworking taught by our local Frederick police officers, yoga classes, family financial planning, arts and crafts activities, and other enrichment classes offered by our ongoing enrichment partners. Examples of outdoor education include hikes, picnics by the river, historical guided tours, fishing, foraging, and nature journaling.
Family Empowerment
CYM requires specific parent partner investment of time and resources within each of the services we provide. Each family is connected with a Family Liaison to form a trusted relationship, providing the technical and coaching support needed for a successful experience for both the child and the family in CYM programming.
Primary services for the programs we offer:
Registration Assistance
CYM brings awareness and understanding and ensures the child and parent follow the required registration steps necessary to secure registration in local enrichment organizations.
Scholarship Assistance
CYM covers 95% of the total cost of enrollment and equipment and/or materials for a child to become enrolled in enrichment programs offered within the community by enrichment organizations.
Transportation
CYM has a fleet of vetted, trained, and background checked volunteer drivers that can provide transportation for the child and parent partner to/from enrichment opportunities.