Kokomo Urban Outreach
The Home of the UP™ Programs
Our Mission
Our mission is to ensure that every young person in Howard County has the education, work ethics, and life skills needed to transition successfully into a self-reliant adult.
In November 2016, Jeff Newton and Deanna Ancil with Kareen Dunn joining a bit later, embarked on a mission to ignite the potential within young men, ages 10-18, through the ManUP initiative – the genesis of the UP™ Program. The resounding success of this endeavor paved the way for StepUP™ for Girls, launched in February 2017, to empower young women with the same core values and life skills.
The UP™ family grew once more in September 2018, with the introduction of MiniUP™, nurturing the youngest members, ages three to nine.
After weathering the storm of the pandemic, the two programs for older kids united, forming the New UP™ Program – an inclusive haven where every child, regardless of gender, age, or ability can discover their Unlimited Potential (UP™).
The UP™ journey continues, a testament to the unwavering belief in the power of respect, responsibility, reliability, readiness, and the limitless potential within each young heart.
UP™
Mini-Up™
Our Results
Each child and teen in the UP™Program is surrounded by caring adults who track their behavior at home and school through progress reports. Grades are tracked, and work effort and improvement are noted. By partnering with the school, home, and at times with the court or counselors, UP™ kid's progress is tracked. Grades have improved, school attendance is on the rise, attitudes have shifted. Parents report that since their children have joined the UP™ Program, homework times are easier, chores are completed and children/teens succeed. The longer children/teens are in the Program, and the more responsible they are with their money. As new life skills are mastered, self-esteem rises. And then there are the soft work skills—being on time, wearing the right clothing for the job, and hard work—that help children/teens become self-reliant.
