Young Man With a Plan

Join us on Saturday, September 21st at 12pm!! CycleBar Assembly Row and TITLE Boxing Club Assembly Row are teaming up for a one-of-a-kind experience! Join Leah from CycleBar and Diego from TITLE as they host a 30 minute cycle class followed by a 30 minute boxing class. ?? All proceeds from this unique event will benefit?Young Man with a Plan. Tickets?are $30 via Eventbrite: https://lnkd.in/ewP9zdas

YMWAP is the proud recipient of the?Omega Life Members Foundation, Inc.?IMPACT Fund's?first ever $25,000 grant! Thank you?Dr. Michael A. Boykin, Esq.,?Greg Burnett?and the?Omega Life Members Foundation, Inc.?family for voting YMWAP the organization whose work best exemplifies “Breaking the Stigma of Mental Health in the Black Community.” The Omega Life Membership Foundation, Inc., established in 1984, was chartered to aid organizations involved in charitable, educational, scholastic, and scientific pursuits. Today, there are over 15,000 Life Members, and the program continues to attract more Men of Omega every year.?Dr. Michael A. Boykin, Esquire of North Carolina, serves as the 16th Chairman of the Omega Life Membership Foundation, Inc. Board of Directors and Gregory D. Burnett, Sr. of Connecticut, serves as chairman of the IMPACT Fund Committee. The IMPACT Fund is designed as a “donor advised fund” and is the first initiative where OLMF, Inc. Life Members vote to decide which organization will receive the annual?$25,000 grant. OLMF, Inc. kicked off its 40th-anniversary celebration in June 2024 and proudly saluted the work of?YMWAP. The Omega Life Membership Foundation, Inc. has awarded approximately seven (7) million dollars in community grants, scholarships and Talent Hunt awards over the past 40 years.

We are so proud of our Executive Director Dr. Jay Simpson as he spoke to the Boston Globe Media on how our young men are learning how to build sustainable futures! Refresh Link - To Gain Access ?? Link: https://lnkd.in/d-taztB6

YMWAP's holistic Summer Program continues to offer young men valuable knowledge and skills for college, career, and life! Here, young men engage in mock interviews following a session on effective communication. Young men also conducted Zoom interviews with adults outside the organization to learn about a wide range of educational and career paths and to gain insight on skills needed for life success.

Young Man with a Plan is excited to welcome Justin S. McAfee to the YMWAP family????. Justin has joined YMWAP as a Program Manager, bringing a deep commitment to serving youth and a strong connection to his hometown of Mattapan. Justin was formerly a wellness teacher and basketball coach at Codman Academy. He also worked at Bedford High School as a campus aide and football/basketball coach, demonstrating his dedication to mentoring students through sports and education. In addition to his work in schools, Justin served as a stabilization case manager at Project Place, a nonprofit organization. There, he taught a stabilization class, helping formerly incarcerated individuals and those struggling with addiction to rebuild their lives. ???? Justin earned his earned his B.S. in Counseling Psychology from Johnson and Wales University in 2017 ??, where he was also the chapter president of his organization?Groove Phi Groove Social Fellowship Incorporated?for three years. Before attending Johnson and Wales, Justin played varsity football and basketball at Becker College, further showcasing his leadership and teamwork skills. ????

A huge thank you to Corey Yarbrough and the entire team at 826 Boston for being such a valuable addition to Young Man with a Plan’s Summer Program. Crafting a great resume can be quite challenging, and we appreciate you coming in this week to teach our young men how to enhance their resumes and showcase their amazing skills, experiences, and achievements!??? ?? #ItTakesAVillage

Thank you, Darryl Huggins, Big Mike Mendes and the team at Children's Services of Roxbury, Inc., for engaging with our summer program. It was truly wonderful to introduce Beats Rhymes and Life to our young men at YMWAP. We especially valued witnessing the healing power of the arts as our young men learned?how to express their thoughts plus emotions in writing and produce their own collaborative songs. ?? ?? ?? Our kids were filled with laughter and smiles.?Your contribution aligns perfectly with one of YMWAP’s latest initiatives:?Wellness through Art.????? #YouthAndArt #WellnessThroughArt

Young Man with a Plan is delighted to introduce two new Board members into our village: Závon Billups & Jennie McDonald-Brown. ???? We're so excited to engage their energy and experience. Learn more about them below ??? ?? Závon Billups: Závon?earned a degree in Politics, Philosophy, and Black Studies from Fairfield University, where he was awarded the St. Ignatius Loyola Medal, Fairfield's highest student achievement honor.?Závon spent?several years teaching at a Boston middle school where he developed their first ever Civics curriculum and authored curricular discourse that drew?acclaim by national organizations, including RAND.? Závon is currently finishing his law degree at Boston College. In 2021, Závon was unanimously appointed Executive Director of Massachusetts Black and Latino Legislative Caucus – the youngest ever to achieve this feat.? ? Many people would describe Závon as a Community Organizer, Wellness Strategist, Life-long Learner, and Friend. ? ?? Jennie McDonald-Brown: Jennie McDonald-Brown (she/her) is the Executive Director of Institutional Advancement and the RCC Foundation at Roxbury Community College, the only Predominantly Black Institution in New England, and one of the most affordable in the Commonwealth. Previously, Jennie held leadership roles at Breakthrough Greater Boston, preparing low-income students for college and training future teachers with a Students Teaching Students model. As Managing Director of Major Gifts, she led fundraising efforts, and as Managing Director of Student Services, she oversaw middle school programs in Boston, Cambridge, and Somerville. Before Breakthrough, Jennie was a school administrator in Boston Public Schools for six years at Roxbury's Dudley Street Neighborhood Charter School and the Taylor in Mattapan. She holds a B.A. in English and African American Studies from Rollins College, an MSW from Boston College, and an M.Ed. from Harvard. Jennie lives in Roxbury with her wife and two sons. Welcome to YMWAP's village, Závon and Jennie!?????

Calling all Rising Seniors! ?? A $30,000 scholarship opportunity is OPEN for applications! That's right- now in it's 10th year(!), the ALKU Scholarship is awarded to one rising senior (going into their senior year Fall 2024) enrolled in a high school within Massachusetts who is engaged in a mentoring relationship (for 1+ year(s)). Applicants must also be able to demonstrate exceptional leadership skills and a commitment to their communities. The deadline to apply is September 23, 2024! Visit https://lnkd.in/eGgc7vba NOW to learn more and apply! The $30,000 award must be used for the student’s educational pursuits, such as college tuition, books, or other materials and expenses necessary for college. #MentoringAmplifies #ALKUScholarship #massmentoring #mmp #bostonma

Young Man With a Plan is thrilled to welcome Jennie McDonald-Brown to our Board of Directors and to the village that is YMWAP!