Raising Expectations

One of the programs we partner with is the Westside Future Fund's Home on the Westside, which connects residents to quality affordable housing opportunities. To learn how this program has impacted our students, check out the full article: raisingexpectations.org/news/success-b…

Boys, Books, and Brotherhood brings in adult male mentors from the community to inspire our students with colloquial discussions about culturally relevant books and literary works. To learn more about Boys, Books, and Brotherhood, read the full article: bit.ly/3oFB2et

April is #NationalVolunteerMonth, and it's the perfect time to give a shoutout to the village that keeps our mission moving. Now's your chance to tour the village we're all working so hard to grow. To explore volunteer opportunities, visit: bit.ly/432oWvJ

Recently, we've been working on establishing a partnership with @AtlTechCollege. We met with college president Dr. Victoria Seals, and since then, our youth have toured ATC, and we've helped students get accepted into their DAP (Dual Achievement Program).

Our board members and advocates are critical to the work we do at RE. Several of them came out to support us recently at the @WFFAtlanta Summit, where we discussed ways to address gun violence in our community. We're so grateful for their ongoing support.

We were fortunate recently to participate in a campus tour that Superintendent of Atlanta Public Schools Dr. Lisa Herring gave to 3 APS students, including one of our own. For the students, it was a powerful vision what their futures could look like.

RE recently hosted a Parent Town Hall Meeting. These are occasions we use to coordinate with parents and update them on recent activities, successes, and challenges. Together, we are the network of aligned support that our students need.

We were thrilled to host a new set of artists recently from @creativespro. Charity Hamidullah, Gabi Madrid, and Alex Mari led our students in a wide range of activities. We're so grateful to them for helping our youth process ideas and emotions through art. #artofcommunity

April is #NationalVolunteerMonth! As we begin gearing up for summer, we're currently seeking volunteers to assist with our summer programming. To explore summer engagement opportunities, please visit: bit.ly/432oWvJ

Did you know people who have had multiple Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) may see a 20-year difference in life expectancy? That's one of the reasons why, at RE, we're so committed to youth development. To learn more about ACEs, visit: bit.ly/3niTlpa

Former Falcons quarterback @M_Ryan02 was back in town recently and stopped in for a breakfast and dialogue with our students at @AdvanceTheLives We're always touched by Matt's level of engagement as well as the genuine interest he takes in the organizations he supports.

We were pleased to participate recently in STEMulate Your Mind, a special event helping high school students cultivate enthusiasm for STEM subjects. The event was held at Microsoft and included a tour of the campus, opportunities to explore STEM pathways, games, and prizes.

We're so excited to be participating in the Transform Westside Summit tomorrow morning. To watch a livestream of the discussion, tune into Westside Future Fund on Facebook and YouTube. To learn more about the event, visit: westsidefuturefund.org/events/

We're always honored to discuss ways we can support our youth. We're especially honored that the Westside Future Fund asked us to share the stage with Ms. Kacey Venning and Dr. Danielle Whylly.

There are many ways that you can help support our youth. In addition to financial donations, we're always looking for career speakers, workshop instructors, internship opportunities, and more. To learn more about engagement opportunities, email: maria@raisingexpectations.org.

Mental health crises among Black youth are increasing. From 1991 to 2019, self-reported suicide attempts rose by 80%, and the pandemic has only exacerbated matters. Learn more about the mental health crisis, and what we're doing to help, here: bit.ly/3Yy8MGZ

To kick off #WomensHistoryMonth, we’d like to take this opportunity to celebrate the amazing group of women we have on staff at RE. We’re proud to say that our leadership team is comprised entirely of Black women. To learn more, visit: bit.ly/3mc1bQO

We're proud to be longtime partners of Data Works, a program that trains groups who are underrepresented in computing to be Data Wranglers. If you know of any additional opportunities like this one, please reach out to Maria Armstrong: maria@raisingexpectations.org.

Our Project STEMWARE students recently helped design an enrichment project all about sustainable fashion. Projects like these allow students to broaden their perspectives, develop useful skills, and build confidence while having fun.

In celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, our Real Estate Enrichment Program (REEP) participants partnered with the Westside Future Fund to clean up Kathryn Johnston Memorial Park. It was so rewarding to have a hand in making our community a better place.