Giving Back!
Youth Directions & Alternatives has been proudly offering a variety of free events and experiences for youth and families in our community since 1972!
Through collaboration with generous local partners and corporate sponsorships, we provide these opportunities at no cost, because we believe fun family memories are priceless.
Elevate Dance Project
February 2026
YDA x Elevate Dance Project with Kaede Urso combined creativity, community, and sustainability. Girl Scout Gold Award recipient Kaede collected brand-new dancewear donations that were provided to aspiring dancers in the Town of Huntington and created a sustainable guidebook to serve as a resource for future dance programs. To share the gift of dance, she also provided four weeks of free dance classes at YDA.
Growing Kindess
05/01/2025
In the Spring of 2025 Girl Scout Troop 3640 selected YDA as the location for their Bronze Award Project. This hardworking group and supportive parents grew flowers from seed, cleared out overgrown ivy, built a beautiful planter with a bean trellis, and organized a food drive to support the ELC Food Pantry next door to the garden. Each troop member completed 20 hours of service—going above and beyond by creating a seed library box and a growing guide to keep the project sustainable for future seasons. All of the fresh produce grown each summer is donated to the pantry or used in YD'A's Cooking for a Cause program.
Circus Magic
November 2024
The circus came to town! Circus Vazquez, a world-famous animal-free traveling show donated tickets forfamilies of YDA youth to attend free of charge.
Soccer Stars
August 2024
YDA hosted a three-week soccer clinic to promote positive youth development through skills coaching (provided by Mecca Sports) and group work activities. This was made possible by a New York State Team Sports Grant administered through the Suffolk County Youth Bureau.
Let's Go Yankees!
June 2024
The Townwide Fund of Huntington & Cannon Inc. invited YDA youth to attend an MLB game at Yankee Stadium! Tickets were provided by Cannon Inc and transportation costs were sponsored by The Townwide Fund of Huntington. It was a thrilling game and an all-around win (literally, the Yankees beat the Twins 9-4)!
Movie in The Park
August 2022
With permission from Northport Village, YDA hosted the first-ever outdoor movie in Northport Village Park to celebrate the agency’s 50th Anniversary! Parents, youth, and many enthusiastic community members enjoyed the 1958 science fiction classic, The Blob. The event's success kicked off what has now become an annual community event with screenings of Creature from the Black Lagoon in 2023 and Invaders from Mars in 2024. YDA has received funding support from both the Northport Rotary Club and the Townwide Fund of Huntington to present this event.
Stay tuned for 2025’s movie announcement!
