Youth Advocating Leadership & Learning
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Y'ALL on the web!
http://www.yallrelief.org/
http://www.inaiane.edu/~yall/
Mission Statement
The Purpose of Y'ALL is to educate the community about the relief efforts at the state and national level. In addition, Y'ALL's principle goal is to help facilitate disaster relief trips to areas with a great need. We strive to develop leadership skills within all members of the organization, as well as collaborate with other student groups and universities to reach out to as many students as possible.
Background
In December 2005, 200 Indiana University students traveled to Biloxi, Mississippi to assist in the recovery efforts from the destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina. This inaugural trip was entirely planned and lead by a group of six IU students. The group of 200 IU students was also the largest contingency to have traveled and worked together in the Hurricane Katrina relief efforts at a single time.
Although this inaugural trip was a huge success, these IU students realized that there was much more work to be done. Upon returning to IU in January (2006), several of the student leaders collaborated in founding Y'ALL. In establishing this new student volunteer organization, these founders made a three year commitment to the victims of Hurricane Katrina. The structure of the organization was laid out such that Y'ALL officers would organize and lead disaster relief trips for IU students every winter, spring, and summer break. While Y'ALL is currently serving the gulf coast, the organization possesses the resources and leadership to facilitate relief trips in response to any future disaster.
What started as an idea and a vision of several students has grown into a thriving and exciting new organization. Having had nearly 500 IU students travel on five trips to the hurricane ravaged gulf coast, Y'ALL has completed over half of its initial three year commitment to the Katrina victims. Furthermore, each of these trips has been completely organized and led by students.
