Global Neuro YCare (GNYC) was founded on a deep commitment to youth caregivers and their families across the globe. While our formal 501c3 status is new, our work is grounded in over a decade of research, field testing, and real-world application.

Our flagship program, YCare , began, with seed funding through the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee and the ALS Assocaition, in the mid-2010s with founder Dr. Melinda S. Kavanaugh a the helm. Once the YCare workshop was developed, it naturally expanded, supported beyond ALS into Alzheimer's and Related Dementia, and siblings of those living with autism. Chapters of the ALS Association, Aurora Health Care, and the United Community Center covered the direct program costs for workshops with personnel and research funded through UWM by Dr. Kavanaugh’s external grants. 

In 2022, we formally launched Global Neuro YCare as a nonprofit. Support from the ALS Association helped us to create LUKi & the Lights!, our animated short film for caregiving youth. This marked the start of our transition from an academic initiative to an independent, mission-driven organization.

As our programming continued to expand in various communities and conditions to support youth caring for loved ones with spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, dementia, and other conditions, we have developed two funding models:

• Community-led model: Local partners fund the direct costs to bring YCare to their communities.
• GNYC-led model: We secure grants and philanthropic funding, then collaborate with trusted community organizations to deliver programming.

Both models ensure we are flexible and meeting partners where they are—financially and culturally. In all cases, we prioritize shared ownership and sustainability.

We’ve also continued to collaborate with UWM to secure research and project grants—such as funding through the Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin initiative, Wounded Warrior Project, and the Elizabeth Dole Foundation—allowing us to maintain academic integrity, retain IRB approval, and continue building research efforts. 

Today, GNYC operates with a lean and effective infrastructure. In our first full year of operations (2023), we completed and premiered LUKi & the Lights!, a foundational and resource-intensive project. This significant investment is reflected in our 2023 Form 990.

As we transition from a startup phase into strategic scaling, our financials naturally reflect the shift. We’re thankful for funders such as MTPharm and Amylyx coming alongside to support GNYC’s growth. We’re also in the process of expanding our team and moving all core program funding from our university-affiliated research roots directly under GNYC. This shift will take time to be fully visible in our year-over-year financial reporting.

GNYC is not a new idea—it’s a proven approach, newly independent. We are poised to scale with the right partners. Your support ensures youth caregivers have the tools they need to thrive, no matter the diagnosis in their household.