[1] Harlem Youth Opportunities Unlimited (HARYOU), Associated Community Teams (ACT), and the National Urban League were deputized to organize a network of smaller organizations and employ thousands of young Harlemites in a variety of jobs intended, in the short run, to keep them busy and, in the long run, to give them skills and opportunities to break out of poverty.
Young people were employed running a summer camp, planting trees, repairing damaged buildings, and printing a newspaper.
Organizers did not hope to end poverty in one summer, of course, but if the 1965 pilot project had gone well, it might have been repeated, on larger scale, until it had an impact.
However, the project was organized with very little lead time: plans were written only weeks before the summer started, and proper research was impossible.
Organizing over 100 agencies to work together was difficult, and the large groups involved fought for credit.