The YMWAP Village Bash:
To Uplift Boston’s Young Men
When:
Thursday,
November 19th, 2026
6 – 9 PM
Where:
The Substation
4228 Washington Street
Boston, MA 02131
Join Us!
Join Young Man with a Plan (YMWAP) as we gather at The Substation in Roslindale to support and uplift the young men of Boston!
YMWAP’s culture of brotherhood, respect, and aspiration closes Boston’s gaps. A unique focus on rigor, sustained holistic mentoring, and individualized success planning helps young men in grades 7-12 gain confidence and purpose. They build the skills and readiness to access college and sustainable career paths at rates far exceeding those of their peers. We also center wellness, and they learn the value of prioritizing their physical and mental health.
Launched in 2015 and led by Dr. Jay Simpson, YMWAP serves young men of color in the middle – neither the top performers nor the acutely at-risk. They fly under the radar. With our support, they build plans for sustainable future.
In January 2026, YMWAP achieved a historic milestone: we purchased the building at 1178 River Street in Hyde Park, the home we had rented for five years. That was Phase 1 of the YMWAP Comes Home capital campaign — achieved by an extraordinary community supporters.
This event celebrates Campaign Phase 2: Program Growth and Innovation and our commitment to thrive in our next decade!
With the building purchase,YMWAP gains 2,000 square feet of new space. The goal of Phase 2 is to raise funds to fully leverage that new space and expand capacity — for the staff, programs, and technology that our young men deserve.
Make your mark! Every donor is recognized on YMWAP’s Giving Wall: a permanent record of the village that built our future!
“I’ve come to believe that this program holds the key to improving and uplifting the current generation of men, instead of perpetuating harmful generational cycles.”
—Chris, 2022 grad and BSEE student Northeastern
To Uplift Boston’s Young Men
A Party with Soul
Funds raised from the Village Bash will directly support programming, staff, and young men.
Young Man with a Plan helps over 375 young Black and Latino men in the middle find a place to belong, make academic and social emotional gains, and access sustainable futures.
Through a powerful combination of weekly after school groups & in-school mentoring, YMWAP’s 5+ year holistic mentoring program delivers deep support for young men from 8 Boston schools in grades 7-12, and beyond.
Launched in 2015, YMWAP was a direct response to a 2014 meeting of cross-sector Boston school leaders who, deeply troubled by achievement gaps, academic disengagement, and increasing neighborhood violence, named their most urgent concern as “high school men of color in the middle.”
YMWAP creates a culture of brotherhood, respect,and aspiration for Boston’s Black and Latino teens to help them achieve college, career, and life success. Since our initial seed funding from the Charles Hayden Foundation, YMWAP has grown from one program director, 8 school-based mentors, and 30 students to a full-time staff of 8, a mentor team of 18, and over 375 students and alums. We’ve extended the curriculum into 7th & 8th grades, expanded college and career readiness curriculum, built a near peer youth mentoring program, and introduced the digital arts.
This November, join us as we gather at The Substation in Roslindale to celebrate all that we’ve accomplished together!
Our B.E.A.S.T Sponsors
Brotherhood Partners
(Platinum)
Enthusiastic Investors
(Diamond)
Accountability Advocates
(Gold)
Scholarship Supporters
(Silver)
Tenacity Builders
(Bronze)
For more information, please contact:
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