Youth Development, Inc. (YDI) is a non-profit, community-based organization that has been providing services to children, youth, and families since 1971.  YDI provides an array of services that includes Early Head Start, Head Start, Pre-K, drop-out prevention, education and employment, health prevention/intervention, educational support.  The YDI Early Childhood Education & Family Development division provides Early Head Start (center-based and home-based), Head Start, Pre-K, Caring Couples Healthy Children (relationship development), Grand Start (Grandparents Raising Grandchildren), Teacher Mentor, Strenthening Families.  YDI Head Start was a recognized by the Office of Head Start, as a national Center of Excellence.  This award was presented to YDI in October 2010.  YDI was one of only ten programs in the nation to receive this prestigious award.   Our mission statement is "to make a lasting, positive change in the lives of children and their families by providing a comprehensive program of collaborative, quality services.  YDI Early Head Start, Head Start, and Pre-K serves approximately 1,900 children and their families in Bernalillo, Rio Arriba, and Taos Counties.