Page 100 - South Mississippi Living - December, 2025

GIVING BACK
YOUTH FOR CHRIST GULF COAST
Reaching Youth for 36 Years
For 80 years, Youth for Christ (YFC) has been reaching out to young people and providing spiritual guidance. The Gulf Coast chapter has been faithfully serving the community for the past 36 years, offering hope and direction to teens across the region. This interdenominational organization operates 20 ministries, including Campus Life, Xtreme Teen Center, Juvenile Justice, and Internships. Each week, approximately 3,000 teens participate in one of these ministries.
Director Brad Holt, an ordained minister and 30-year veteran of Youth for Christ, says the organization has a presence on 16 school campuses across the area. “It’s the largest organization on the Coast working with middle and high school kids,” Holt shares.
One of YFC’s most impactful programs is its Juvenile Justice Ministry, serving youth ages 11 to 19 in the Jackson and Harrison County juvenile facilities. Each week, Holt and a team of dedicated volunteers lead devotionals and offer
life guidance to the young people there. When participants are released, YFC often helps connect them with job opportunities. “Most of the young people in those facilities don’t have a dad in the home, and a large number of them have a family member in prison,” Holt explains.
To help fund its outreach, Youth for Christ operates several fundraising stores that provide quality goods at affordable prices:
• Thrift Mart – 345 Pass Rd., Gulfport
• Binopoly – Located next door to Thrift Mart
• Bloomingdeals – Two locations: the Gulfport Premium
Outlet Mall and the Edgewater Mall in Biloxi
These stores sell electronics, housewares, furniture, and other
overstock items at up to 70 percent off retail prices.
Saving the best for last, YFC’s largest current project is the renovation of a brand-new Xtreme Teen Center, located on
their property on Pass Road. The 10,000-square-foot facility will feature laser tag, arcade games, and many more fun activities, providing a safe, positive environment where teens can hang out with friends and hear about the love of our Risen Savior.
If you would like to volunteer or support this project, Youth for Christ invites you to get involved and make a difference in the lives of local teens.
Youth for Christ
351 Pass Road, Gulfport 228.864.0788 | www.coastyfc.com
story by Lynn Lofton
photo courtesy of Youth for Christ
100 | December 2025
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