Using the Five Promises advocated by America’s Promise as a framework, this report discusses the current state of our Nations’ youth and offers guidelines for improving the lives of youth. A snapshot of the state of our youth contains both good and bad news. On the one hand, years of economic prosperity has increased the household income of many of America’s families, thereby increasing favorable outcomes for youth. Moreover, years of research into how to most effectively help disadvantaged youth has provided society with the knowledge and tools necessary to make a difference. On the other hand, trend analysis indicates that America’s youth may be losing ground in key areas, such as adequate housing, health, education, and family income. To make matters worse, investment in youth enrichment from all economic sectors is either down or flat, leaving too many children to face overwhelming obstacles without assistance. The Five Promises designed to help children overcome disadvantage are discussed in turn and include the promises of: (1) ongoing mentoring relationships with caring adults; (2) safe places with structured activities; (3) a healthy start and future; (4) marketable skills through effective education; and (5) opportunities to serve others. The biggest gaps to meeting these promises are identified, such as the fact that more than 15 million youth need mentors, 9 million children are hungry, and 8 million children have no health insurance. Fulfilling the Five Promises will require a commitment to policies and practices that are based on sound research and will require unprecedented levels of community collaborations. Endnotes