The purpose of Y.E.S. Foundation is to be a catalyst for youth development by providing mental, physical and spiritual tools that help to educate, empower, and inspire.
Youth Esteem Services (Y.E.S.) Foundation was founded in early 2021 by Jeff Pelon with the mission of building bridges that would help connect teens in need to resources that could help. Having struggled himself with mental health and substance abuse, Jeff has an overriding desire to give forward the same grace and assistance that was given him when he needed it. His credentials as a licensed counselor, mindset coach, author, active member of the fitness community, and decades of experience leave him uniquely positioned to identify both critical needs and the solutions required to address them.
In its first few years, Y.E.S. Foundation has already had meaningful impact, providing scholarships to teen and adaptive athletes to the 2021 CrossFit Games, the 2021 U.S. Army CrossFit Elite Teen Throwdown and the 2022 Wodapalooza Fitness Festival, contributing to the University of Michigan Weightlifting club team to offset costs, and co-producing the Rise podcast, reaching a large audience to motivate and inspire through personal stories and experiences.
Y.E.S. Foundation’s 2022 initiatives include sponsorship assistance for Core City CrossFit Kids, opening opportunities for community and fitness to underserved communities, and sponsorship funding for athletics for Mission 22, supporting veterans and their families in need.
