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About Us

    Our Purpose

    In a world that can be void of meaning and leave them restless and dissatisfied, YCP brings together young professionals in their 20s and 30s into a community of belonging, support, and encouragement at all stages of the faith journey. YCP empowers and equips them to live their Catholic faith through everyday work, and to perform all work with excellence for the glory of God.

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    Our Patron

    Our mission calls upon the intercession of St. Joseph the Worker, a simple carpenter who reminds us of the importance of stillness, reflection, and prayer. Join us by phone for a few minutes of prayer to our intercessor every Wednesday at 12pm U.S. Central Time.

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    Our Story

    2010
    The Call

    Faced with an 8-month waiting period before beginning a new position with a financial consulting firm, Jennifer Baugh experienced a season of soul-searching marked by both stillness and a longing for something more. She desired guidance on balancing work and faith, and deeper friendships in a world often characterized by surface-level interactions, distractions, and busyness. Through this journey of faith Jennifer sensed a growing conviction that God was calling her to start something new.

    2010 - 2013
    Humble Beginnings

    • Jennifer hosts "focus groups" to gauge interest in YCP and develops a business plan.

    • First event hosted in August 2010 with 100+ in attendance

    • Establishes a central office in Dallas, TX in order to expand to new cities while unifying its efforts. 501(c)(3) status confirmed

    • First chapters open outside of Dallas in Fort Worth (TX) and San Antonio (TX)

    2014 - 2015
    Gaining Traction

    • Launches 5 more chapters between Texas, Colorado, & California - 7 chapters strong!

    • Hires it's 2nd & 3rd full time staff members

    • 1st truly "national" gala

    • Hosts its first Leadership Conference inviting chapter volunteers from across the country.

    • YCP featured on EWTN's "Life on the Rock"

    2016 - 2017
    Growth

    • Now 16 chapters nationwide with local volunteer efforts of 120+

    • YCP is a guest on Relevant Radio, Catholic Answers, Catholics@Work and others

    • Hosts first annual National Member Conference in Dallas, TX for 300 young professionals

    • Members in 30+ US cities and interest from 50+ cities to launch a chapter (including international interest)

    2018 - 2019
    Coast-to-Coast

    • Los Angeles launches as YCP's 20th chapter

    • 300+ young people now commit more than 20,000 hours annually through volunteer service with YCP

    • 26+ bishops have invited YCP into their diocese - demand continues to grow!

    • 25,000+ young Catholics follow YCP

    • Hosts 2nd National Member Conference in Cleveland, OH. 400 young professionals consecrate YCP to the Virgin Mary.

    2020 & Beyond
    The 2nd Decade Begins

    • Hosting 4th annual YCP Conference, Work of Our Hands, focused on St. Joseph!

    • Launching new small-group program for members, YCP Forums

    • Adding new chapters in Philadelphia, Boston, Nashville, & Kansas City, with plans to launch 8+ new chapters in 2022 (click to see where we're launching next!)

    Our Role

    YCP’s Staff and Board of Directors (YCP Office) oversees the training, development and implementation of each local chapter throughout the country, and provides ongoing direction, support, and stability on an ongoing basis. In this way YCP operates similar to a franchise.
     

    The two things I like best about YCP is how it integrates faith with professionalism (hadn't seen that done well before) and how ridiculously well organized it is - especially on a national level. That takes real vision AND administration!

    Nathan Magnuson, Corporate Leadership Development Consultant
     

    The YCP National Office

    Supporting Communities Coast To Coast

    Form and Nourish Chapters

    Experienced Staff utilize the nearly 10 years of YCP growth to support local chapters. Examples include:

    • Guiding diocesan relationships, new chapter formation process, and best-practices for volunteer, speaker, and mentor recruiting and training.
    • Providing legitimacy from a proven brand (trademarked name, slogan, and logo), turnkey technology infrastructure, chapter operation protocols, marketing templates, and much more.
    • Promoting accountability and adherence to core values, the YCP mission, and Catholic Church teaching

     

    Keep Local Costs Low

    Local chapters receive 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status through their affiliation with the national organization, as well as an abundance of training materials, templates, policies, practices, and cloud-based software to eliminate administrative burden and decrease costs.

    Promote the YCP Brand

    The Staff promotes the YCP brand throughout the US via print, online, radio, television and through conferences and strategic partnerships. Great awareness and appreciation for the YCP ministry helps local chapters increase their legitimacy in the community, grow attendance, and reach new speakers, donors and mentors.

    Unify the Movement

    The Staff connects chapters with one another via technology platforms and annual conferences to share resources and best practices in marketing, fundraising, networking and more. This enables chapters to operate the way that Saint Paul describes the Body of Christ: "Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts for one body, so it is with Christ" (1 Cor. 12:12)

    Meet Our Team

    St. Joseph, Our Patron

    To keep our mission and our patron prominent, this St. Joseph the Worker prayer is read aloud at the conclusion of every YCP event, reminding us to see all forms of work through “the eyes of faith.”

    St. Joseph The Worker Prayer

    O Glorious Saint Joseph, model of all those who are devoted to labor, obtain for me the grace to work in a spirit of penance for the expiation of my many sins;  to work conscientiously, putting the call of duty above my natural inclinations;  to work with thankfulness and joy, considering it an honor to employ and develop by means of labor the gifts received from God;  to work with order, peace, moderation and patience, never shrinking from weariness and trials;  to work above all with purity of intention and detachment from self, keeping unceasingly before my eyes death and the account that I must give of time lost, talents unused, good omitted, and vain complacency in success, so fatal to the work of God.

    All for Jesus, all through Mary, all after thy example, O Patriarch, Saint Joseph. Such shall be my watch-word in life and in death. Amen.