CLLCTIVLY And Maryland Nonprofits Build Resiliency Of Youth Service Providers

The Baltimore Children and Youth Fund (BCYF) awarded CLLCTIVLY and Maryland Nonprofits $150,000 to pilot the CONNECT program. CONNECT is a nine-month cohort of ten organizations focused on deepening relationships and collaboration among nonprofits to improve organizational sustainability, increase fundraising, and move towards a liberatory framework for serving young people in Baltimore City.

As conveyed by Jamye Wooten, CLLCTIVLY’s Founder, “Nonprofit culture often promotes competition and scarcity. We work to center the assets that exist within the community while deepening relationships that foster collaboration and highlight the abundance that exists when we come together.“

For BCYF, “Liberation is core to our values, and is a way to think about our world and work,” says Alysia Lee, President of BCYF. “It’s a great time to reimagine what philanthropy is in a liberatory framework.”

The ten leaders who will be collaborating through the CONNECT program are:

• Tracie Jiggets of The Art of Truth, which celebrates the human experience through teaching dance and theater as a revolutionary practice of personal development and artistic expression.
• Jayson Green and Ricky McCarter of New Song Community Learning Center, which provides exceptional academic and educational experiences important to the healthy intellectual, social and emotional development of the student and family.
• Moriah Ray and Agzja Carey of African Diaspora Alliance, which seeks to connect descendants of Africa to the global African community, and promote solidarity throughout the African Diaspora.
• Geri McCarter of Coach G Step Academy, which uses the art and heritage of step to engage youth in leadership, education and mentoring.
• Danielle Battle and Michael Battle of RICH, which connects Baltimore residents to resources and sharing experiences that will build stronger individuals, families, and communities.
• Brandon Clayton and Harold Diggs of Young Successful Leaders, which creates young leaders, entrepreneurs and financial builders to help youth and young adults flourish and lead their families, peers, friends and community.
• Adrian Gooden and Tasha Gooden of Hilma’s Heart, which serves people in need and helps others unpack from their pasts, develop an awareness of trans-generational trauma to promote trans-generational healing, and help them navigate towards maximizing their full potential
• Elijah Miles and Aiina Iyawa of Tendea Family, which advances Baltimore’s Black community by operating transformative initiatives focused on identity, self-improvement, community service and development.
• Alphonso Mayo and Alexandra Porte of Mentoring Mentors, who supports youth through an intergenerational, near-to-peer model that promotes interdependency, long-term relationships and commitment to the community.
• Valarie Matthews of Catherine’s Family and Youth Services, who provides tools necessary to educate and empower the residents of Northwest Baltimore City with improving the quality of life and well-being.

“Each organization is already providing exceptional services to Baltimore City’s youth,” expressed Krystle Starvis, the Chief Operating Officer for CLLCTIVLY and lead organizer for the CONNECT pilot. “We look forward to combining our strengths and seeing what grows from our collaboration.”

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Source: CLLCTIVLY