American Youth Foundation

American Youth Foundation programs welcome people to discover their own best selves, the richness of living a balanced life, and the power of creating inclusive, caring communities. We are a nonprofit youth development organization whose mission has provided the foundation for all that we do since 1925.

Thousands of youth engage in programs year-round at our beautiful properties at Merrowvista in New Hampshire and Miniwanca in Michigan. People from across the country and around the world come to AYF facilities for community and school programs, summer camps, and leadership conferences. Our programs inspire individuals and groups to put their best into action and make a difference in big and small ways each day.

The American Youth Foundation invites all people to be their own best selves, and we seek to create communities where no one is intentionally excluded because of who they are. We enthusiastically welcome staff and participants with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and identities. The AYF continually assesses our practices through a broad lens of cultural competency and is committed to taking action and changing for the better of all.

We value each person’s right to fully experience our programs free from prejudice and harassment based on race, ethnicity, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, religious affiliation, or other aspects of their identity. We believe the diversity within our program communities enriches the learning for all, provided everyone feels safe to be their own best self.

All reasonable efforts will be made to accommodate participants with different experiences, conditions, strengths, and abilities. Our goal is to include as many participants as possible; however, we are limited in what we can provide in terms of medical care. We partner with families in a thorough medical review process to determine if we can safely serve their child.