KidsMatter begins 25th anniversary year with continued dedication to empowering youth

Founded through community partnerships, nonprofit has grown to support youth development in Naperville area and beyond

NAPERVILLE, ILL. — Established as a nonprofit organization in 2001, KidsMatter is celebrating its 25-year history throughout 2026. As Naperville’s proactive youth services organization honors its roots, we invite the community to join in our continued efforts to promote youth empowerment and offer proactive solutions to the challenges young people face.

KidsMatter’s mission is about helping kids say “no” to destructive choices and “yes” to endless possibilities — realizing their purpose, knowing their value and discovering their pathway. Our earliest beginnings — stemming from a community health assessment completed by Edward Hospital in the mid-1990s — have led KidsMatter to become the organization it is today; and we’re proud to be an established nonprofit serving 45,000 kids.

To celebrate our 25th anniversary, KidsMatter will share monthly stories of the people, priorities, programs and partnerships that have allowed us to serve Naperville-area youth. Follow our journey and learn how the Naperville community has responded to youth-focused challenges throughout the past couple decades. Then, connect with ways you can contribute to this vital mission in the future and help teens build the developmental assets they need to be resilient and successful.

“As we celebrate our first quarter-century of service, KidsMatter is excited to be growing, connecting and engaging — creating even stronger partnerships across our community and developing more opportunities to empower youth,” said Nina Menis, CEO and Executive Director of KidsMatter. “KidsMatter grew out of the Naperville community’s commitment to youth and families, and the strength of that commitment remains what drives us forward. We’re excited to continue offering proactive solutions and proven strategies to help every young person reach their fullest potential.”

Our email newsletter, Keeping up with KidsMatter, is a great way to see all of our 25th anniversary stories — plus insights to support wellness, details about upcoming events, information about community resources and curated strategies to promote youth mental health. To receive our newsletter, visit kidsmatter2us.org and click on the orange “E-NEWSLETTER SIGN-UP” box in the top right corner. Follow KidsMatter on Facebook at facebook.com/KidsMatter2us and Instagram at instagram.com/kidsmatter2us/ to see all of our efforts to uplift and empower youth, families and our community.

To further support KidsMatter’s mission — and help us build resilient kids in a
community where every young person knows they matter — donate today at kidsmatter2us.org/donate.

About KidsMatter: Recognized as Naperville’s proactive, youth-oriented human services organization, KidsMatter’s mission is to build resilient kids who say “no” to destructive choices and “yes” to endless possibilities. Established in 2001, and now celebrating its 25th year, KidsMatter empowers kids to realize their purpose, know their value, and discover their pathway through programs addressing youth mental health, leadership development and career exploration. A leader among nonprofits, KidsMatter harnesses the power of partnerships to help young people build developmental assets, including positive values, healthy relationships and self-esteem. KidsMatter has been highlighted by NBC 5 Chicago’s Making a Difference in 2024 for providing Youth Mental Health First Aid courses and by CBS News Chicago in 2023 for the Kindness Counts Campaign. With programming focused on preventing problems in the lives of youth before they start — and an extensive network of parents, educators and resources — KidsMatter equips youth and families with essential tools to manage the societal pressures and stresses of everyday life.