Share you home.  Change the world.

Youth For Understanding (YFU) is a nonprofit founded on the idea that giving young people the opportunity to live in other countries would increase their understanding and respect for people of other cultures.  We offer over 300 scholarships to high school students to live abroad.  This year we awarded $77,000 in scholarships to St. Louis teens - more than any other exchange organization!

We also place international high school students with volunteer families here in St. Louis.  We are approved by Rockwood and Parkway and have students attending many other districts and private schools around the metro area.  Volunteer families provide meals, a bed, a place to study and ensure the student can get to school.  Students bring their own spending money and have their own health insurance.

You do not need to have high school aged children to host.  My family first hosted when our own children were aged 5, 3, 1, and 6 months!  We hosted again a couple years later and it's been a wonderful experience for our children.

If it is not the right time for your family to host, then please consider volunteering as an area representative.  YFU is 95% volunteer driven, and we are always looking for more volunteers to help support our programs.

Please contact me for more information or visit our website.   

Yours in Global Service,

Stephen