History

Our history - from 100 Quads to Counseling First

In 2012, Mark Barry and Kevin Miske founded Veteran Youth Corp in Chicago, as an Illinois 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation, dba 100 Quads. The name 100 Quads alludes to the the total energy used annually in the United States, approximately 100 quadrillion British thermal units (Btu's). Our initial plan was to develop youth training programs and to engage our country's returning military veterans as leaders and mentors of law-involved young people. We still believe that military veterans can benefit from this mission: teaming with young people to meet the challenge of creating sustainable, energy smart urban communities.

In 2013, Cynthia Barry married Mark. After Cynthia joined the team, because we lacked the resources to develop the job training programs, we pivoted to invest initially in Counseling First, registered in Illinois with the assumed name of (doing business as) Veteran Youth Corp. We leased space in Uptwon and the counseling business opened its doors in early 2014. Since that time, Cynthia has counseled hundreds of law-involved clients and provided comprehensive outpatient treatment to several dozen patients suffering from substance use disorders.

While our immediate focus has been counseling, treatment and intervention services, we remain 100% committed to a mission of providing educational counseling and innovative business models that support military veterans and lw-involved young people working in teams to build energy efficient, safe and well maintained urban communities.

This is an infrastructure program that matters!

Today, efficiency retrofits for urban buildings make more sense than ever, both economically and ecologically. Skills to retrofit buildings and reduce utility costs will lead to hundreds of new jobs that are financially justified (i.e. that do not require subsidies). Such work will engender renewed pride across urban neighborhoods. Building owners will benefit tremendously, directly from the energy savings and indirectly as retrofits trigger renewal and drive economic development. Construction crews will benefit - physically and psychologically - as trained military veterans work alongside urban youth coming from the criminal justice system, especially those re-entering society from prison, those on probation (under county court supervision) or those diverted from  prosecution (by the State's Attorney).

Health and public safety are sure to improve too, as young people get active in vital local jobs to make their own neighborhoods safer and more sustainable.

Too many young people in American need mentoring, hope and jobs. We believe there is no better therapy than meaningful, hands-on work. We also believe there is no more meaningful work than in urban sustainability, with results you can be proud of as you can see the results in your own community.