The Uvalde Foundation for Kids Takes Full Ownership of Past, Dedicates To Total Transparency and Governance Reform
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- Oct 18
- 3 min read
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The Uvalde Foundation for Kids Takes Full Ownership of Past, Rebrands as The Youth Peace & Justice Foundation with Mandate for Total Transparency and Governance Reform
TEMPLE, Texas (Oct. 18, 2025) — The Uvalde Foundation for Kids, a national non-profit dedicated to ending violence and promoting student safety, today announced a complete organizational restructuring and rebrand under the new name, The Youth Peace & Justice Foundation.
This strategic change follows three years of operation and is anchored by a new, focused national mission and immediate, comprehensive governance reforms designed to maximize national impact and rebuild public trust.
The name change clarifies our commitment to addressing youth violence and cultural change across the United States. It shifts our identity beyond the 2022 Robb Elementary tragedy, reflecting a long-term, national focus on prevention, advocacy, and systemic justice.
“The tragedies we address are not confined to one place; they are symptoms of a national crisis,” said Daniel Chapin, Founder and National Director. “This rebrand clarifies our national role and long-term commitment to prevention. More importantly, it is an unequivocal signal of our commitment to trust, transparency, and accountability as we move forward.”
A Commitment to Accountability: Addressing Past Scrutiny
We recognize that the organization, in its formative years, faced intense and necessary public scrutiny, specifically regarding its geographical connections and the clarity of past operational claims. We take full ownership of the missteps and lack of clarity that eroded public trust.
We directly address two specific areas of past controversy:
* Past Patrols and Program Motives: We acknowledge and apologize for the lack of judgment and poor communication surrounding the "StopNow" patrol initiatives, which have since been deleted and permanently discontinued. Such actions were inconsistent with our core mission of promoting peace through community-led response and professional advocacy. We recognize that these actions, and the organization's initial struggles to clearly articulate its national scope and financial motives, led to damaging speculation. We commit to a mission strictly focused on professional, volunteer-led crisis response, advocacy, and student/youth recognition, ensuring all future initiatives are clearly defined, ethically sound, and publicly justified.
* Financial Transparency: We recognize that incomplete or delayed financial disclosure fueled unnecessary doubt about the use of donor funds. The reforms outlined below are our firm commitment to correcting this failure and providing total financial clarity.
This transition is not an attempt to erase our past, but to establish a responsible foundation for our future. The new brand is supported by immediate, structural changes to ensure our mission is executed with the highest level of fiduciary and ethical diligence.
The Mandate for Structural Reform and Transparency
Effective immediately, The Youth Peace & Justice Foundation is implementing a comprehensive accountability framework:
* Full Financial Transparency (Voluntary Form 990 Filing)
We are pledging enhanced financial transparency through the voluntary filing of the detailed IRS Form 990, regardless of the lower revenue threshold dictated by the IRS. We will make these audited financial filings publicly available on our website as a cornerstone of our commitment to accountability and to proactively answer any questions about the source and use of every dollar.
* Governance Overhaul and Independent Oversight
We have initiated a complete overhaul of our governance structure. This includes:
* The appointment of three new, independent board members with expertise in non-profit law, trauma-informed care, and corporate ethics.
* The formation of an Independent Audit and Ethics Committee to review all internal financial practices and organizational claims quarterly.
* Streamlined National Programs
Our focus is now consolidated on high-impact national initiatives, including:
* National Crisis Response: Deploying volunteer teams of mental health professionals and trained volunteers to offer immediate, no-cost emergency care following violent youth-related incidents nationwide. Our focus will continue to be on community response and engagement.
* Youth Advocacy: Driving systemic reform and legislative efforts that directly address gaps in child welfare and community safety across state lines.
* Youth Recognition: Continuing to fund Student “HERO” Scholarships to reward and enrich the futures of students committed to positive cultural change and non-violence.
Operational Continuity
To maintain seamless administrative and tax continuity, the legal name on our foundational documents and IRS filings (including the EIN) will temporarily remain The Uvalde Foundation for Kids during this transition.
However, all forward-facing information, fundraising, outreach, and programming will be conducted solely and exclusively under the brand The Youth Peace & Justice Foundation.
“Our commitment is that the 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status remains completely unchanged,” Chapin confirmed. “Moving forward, donors can be fully confident that every dollar directly supports our clarified national mission of preventing violence and fostering justice for America’s youth.”
