Youth Outreach Unlimited (Y.O.U.)
1007 Main St.
Suite B
Mendota, IL 61342
pam@ysbiv.org

YOU Community Organizer Bio

Welcome to the Y.O.U. web page. Let me introduce myself. My name is Pamela Herrera. I’m married to a wonderful man named Jose. I have three handsome grown sons (Tony, Jose, Nicholas) and I have two beautiful grandchildren (Ryan and Kya). I have lived in Mendota all my life and graduated from Mendota High school in 1969. I started volunteering for Youth Service Bureau in 1978 and was also the President of the youth committee until 1985 when I was hired as a full time employee of the YSB. I’ve been with Y.S.B. for 22 ½ years, from Sept. 1985 to present. I'm also the Community Director for the LPO Youth Program in LaSalle.

Some things I am proud to have accomplished are:

• Mendota Business and Professional Woman of the Year in 2004
• Treasurer for the Illinois Valley Hispanic Partnership Council
• Board member of the Male Involvement Tri-County Opportunities Council Head Start Program
• Involved in the Mendota Toys for Tots Committee for over 15 years
• Volunteer in Mendota schools for many years (room mother, teacher helper with Mrs. Roloff, registration helper, ect.)
• Member of the Woman of the Moose Chapter 1567 of Mendota for over 10 years

History of Youth Outreach Unlimited

Youth Outreach Unlimited has been a positive ongoing non profit organization in Mendota, Illinois for the last 28 years. Y.O.U. is supported by grants received through Youth Service Bureau of Illinois Valley, by fundraising activities, and by public donations. We serve Mendota (small rural community located in the northern corner of LaSalle County) and surrounding towns of Compton, Triumph, Troy Grove and West Brooklyn all of which are in our school district. Mendota’s population is 7272 as of the 2000 census and is mostly Caucasian and Hispanic, with a few African Americans and Asians.

Y.O.U. started in 1977 at Mendota Mobile Home Park located at 100 South 1st Ave, with Y.S.B. worker Pat Hayden. The program was known as Mendota Neighbors Community Committee. The name changed to Youth Outreach Unlimited in 1984 and also expanded its services to include South View Housing project located at 100 South 9th Ave. In 1985 Pam Herrera Community Service Advisor for Y.S.B. started working and expanded the program city wide in 1988 until present.

Please feel free to e-mail Pam with any questions or concerns you may have.