Children's Programs & Community Service Opportunities based in Henderson, Nevada
As a national nonprofit organization promoting education and helping kids stay in school, the JYD P.R.O.J.E.C.T in Henderson, Nevada, offers children's programs and community service opportunities focused on childhood literacy and student motivation.

Established in 2009 by NBA player Jerome “JYD” Williams, The JYD Project was formed to provide youth with an exciting and effective alternative youth development program. Incorporating “a touch of urban flavor” Junk Yard Dog is able to attract and engage youth on their level using culturally relevant learning methodologies and age-specific activities. These practices allow youth to learn new skills and knowledge at a pace, style and format easily adaptable to their everyday life, increasing self-efficacy and measurable outcomes.

Teen pregnancy, drug abuse, and the high school dropout epidemic disproportionately affects disenfranchised youth from impoverished socioeconomic communities at an alarming rate.
Returning the Favor

The JYD Project focuses on empowering youth in overcoming these statistics by teaching them life skills, alternate coping methods, and realistic goal setting for addressing these issues. Included is the signature tenet “Create Your Plan, Work Your Plan,” a step-by-step roadmap for success, as the core element of every program offered by the JYD Project.

The purpose of the Junk Yard Dog persona is to create a fun, dependable, and relatable authoritative figure youth will readily trust. Research shows that youth are more likely to emulate a persona who looks, acts, and relates to their personal experiences. Junk Yard Dog came from an environment where things are outdated, discarded, and undervalued; but he rises above this stigma to become a player of the game of life. This character shows up in basketball swag gear, but by the end of the program transforms into the professional, donning business attire. Module by module, the youth mentally undergo this metamorphosis with him. They evolve from underrepresented youth of the inner city into successful, confident citizens of the world.

JYD
P. prepare teenagers for real life
R. re-engage struggling students
O. offer college scholarships
J.  join & assist various non profit boards
E. empower parents to advocacte
C. create charitable collaborations
T. talk to youth & educators about passion