Youth and Shelter Services of Ames has evolved over the last 17 years from a program in Iowa State’s Alumni Hall to a full-scale support and assistance organization.

George Belitsos, YSS chief executive officer, has incorporated the volunteer help of ISU students, faculty and staff over the years to ensure the organization’s mission.

“The organization had its birth on the ISU campus,” Belitsos said.

Belitsos said he organized a youth outreach program several years ago with university volunteers because a lot of kids were interacting in the Welch Avenue area, using drugs.

“LSD, needle use and other hallucinogens were a problem,” he said.

In order to help children, youth and families become contributing members of society, Belitsos and other YSS officials have initiated several successful programs that have incorporated members of the ISU community.

“Many of the counselors and staff members are or have been ISU students,” said Phillip O’Berry, YSS board vice president. “When you think about it, the connection between ISU and YSS is terrific.”

O’Berry said many fraternities and sororities have donated bottles and cans to YSS’s redemption center.

Fifteen million bottles and cans are processed through the center every year, Belitsos said.

Individual students have also benefited YSS. “Many sociology, psychology and child development majors have volunteered their time,” O’Berry said.

ISU athletic director Gene Smith and men’s basketball coach Tim Floyd have spoken to youngsters through YSS programs. Belitsos said Smith has presided over graduations, and “we have received extraordinary support from ISU.”

Many YSS employees who were once participants in the organization’s assistance programs, are ISU graduates. “We have several staff who started in our program, went to school and are now back working with us,” Belitsos said. “We have a lot of success with getting kids into ISU and graduating.”

O’Berry said, “It’s a great thing to see kids grow.”

Since YSS is a nonprofit organization, and soliciting funding, officials said, is an integral part of the job.

O’Berry said getting YSS off the ground was a matter of being in the right place at the right time.

“George saw a federal grant invitation from an agency that had a sizable amount of money and wanted to stimulate nonprofit agencies around the country,” he said.

YSS was one of five national recipients of the grant. “We established a foundation, raised $150,000, and received a matching amount for the program,” Belitsos said.

The Ames community has also been supportive.

“We had a fund-raising campaign four or five years ago where our goal was $750,000 over a three year period and we reached $1 million.” Belitsos said. A former ISU faculty member contributed $200,000 to that campaign.