Special to The Times
Growing Kings recently received two grants from the Alabama Department of Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention – Children’s Trust Fund totaling $35,000.
Growing Kings received funding to support its school-based mentoring program, Journey of a King, and for the organization’s mentor training program, All the King’s Men.
“We are very thankful to have received such an impactful grant, and we are excited about our partnership with the Children’s Trust Fund to improve the educational and societal outcomes for our most vulnerable youth,” said Marcus Carson, founder and executive director of the organization.
The Children’s Trust Fund is enacted under the Alabama Department of Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention of Alabama. The Children’s Trust Fund grants funding for community-based prevention programs throughout the state of Alabama. The Alabama Department of Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention is Alabama’s only state agency that aids in preventing child abuse and neglect.
Growing Kings is a nonprofit organization that provides innovative school-based mentoring and enrichment services to undeserved male youth. The organization operates with a mission to encourage and facilitate the critical thinking and positive attitudes of underserved male youth through systemic and targeted enrichment, research, and advocacy.
Growing Kings, Inc. last month completed its annual 100 Mentors in 100 Days event.
“We know that young men who don’t have access to positive male influences are at a much greater risk of dropping out of school or winding up in jail,” said Carson.
According to a research brief published by Child’s Trend, young males with positive perceptions about their mentor relationship often earn higher grades, are considered to be better students, more likely to go to college and less likely to start using drugs and alcohol.
Growing Kings has established partnerships with local corporations, civic organizations, and university athletic departments who will serve as mentor recruitment pipelines, providing the organization with men from within their establishments to be mentors.
Growing Kings, Inc. can be contacted at PO Box 291, Birmingham, AL 35201-0291. Tel – (205) 417-2478
Email – info@growingkings.org
