​

​

​The Special Needs Adult Pals group ( formally known as the Young Adult Program or YAP) began in the early 1990's as a service similar to the local high school drop-in centers for students who had graduated from high school, but did not follow the traditional track of going away to college.

 

Shortly after it began, it was realized that the people utilizing the program the most and expressing the greatest need for the program were people who faced some type of disability. It was then, that the program began to change the focus of the program to have a greater emphasis on serving the needs of these young people.

 

Since the inception of SNAP, Glencoe Youth Services (GYS) has been an important ally for the program. While GYS was not the original sponsors of the program, the GYS staff at the time helped to develop the program, and GYS has always provided YAP the use of its building.

 

In 2007 SNAP was to be disbanded when the organization who had started it had chosen to drop the program.

 

In response to the request by many of the long time participants and New Trier Township, GYS became the official sponsors of YAP on April 1, 2008, incorporating it into our organization.