ECKERD YOUTH ALTERNATIVES, INC.
CLEARWATER, FLORIDA

ECKERD YOUTH ALTERNATIVES, INC., based in Clearwater, Florida, emerged from the vision of Jack Eckerd to transform his family's retail drugstore business into a beacon for social service. Established on April 16, 1985, and formerly known as Eckerd Connects, this organization has pioneered innovative programs aimed at providing healthy and successful alternatives to help young people across the United States turn their lives around. Initially starting with Florida’s first private boys’ wilderness therapy program in 1968, it expanded rapidly to include therapeutic programs for girls and later broadened its scope beyond child welfare. Eckerd Youth Alternatives operates an extensive network of 160 programs nationwide, offering significant assistance in employment search support, guidance for teenagers exiting the juvenile justice system, and family services — connecting displaced children with loving homes as lead agency in Pinellas, Hillsborough, and Pasco Counties. Last year alone, it served foster care youth across five states, demonstrating its commitment to holistic community engagement. The organization’s Workforce Development training leverages experience enhanced through strategic mergers, aligning effective services through initiatives funded by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). As a testament to its core values centered around integrity, responsibility, empathy, caring, and happiness, Eckerd Youth Alternatives allocates eight paid volunteer hours per year for each employee to foster community service. Under the leadership of directors Michael Goodwin, David Bennett, and Joseph W. Clark, the organization continues to thrive as a mission-driven entity dedicated to influencing positive change in children’s and families’ lives. Detailed insights about its operations and impacts can be found on their official website: eckerdyouthalternatives.com.