ICAN is a free youth center in the East Valley that offers programming for youth, teens, families and the community. 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. ICAN’s evidence-based programming equips youth to achieve personal and academic success. Parenting classes and substance abuse education complete ICAN’s programming, impacting the entire community. ICAN is accredited by the National Council on Accreditation, was recently named “Outstanding Afterschool Program” by the Arizona Center for After School Excellence and was a national winner of the 2015 National Exemplary Award for Innovative Substance Abuse Prevention Programs. For more information about ICAN, call (480) 821-4207 or visit www.icanaz.org. 8 out of 10 young people in the areas we serve are living in extreme poverty. Four of those children will go to bed hungry at night and eight will be using drugs or alcohol to cope with the harsh realities they face. Joining gangs becomes a more viable choice than graduation in the community we serve. This is not an option for ICAN. We exist to combat these issues and build strong futures for them and for our community.