Fight For Your Dreams Adds a Youth Development Director

We funded Fight for Your Dreams to hire a Youth Development Director to provide out of school services for youth at SIR Boxing Club in order to meet their social and educational needs.

Fight For Your Dreams (FFYD) was created in 2020 out of the for-profit business SIR Boxing Club to respond to the social and educational needs of its youth members. These members were often hanging out for several hours after their lessons because it had become a safe place away from street violence or empty homes while parents were working. The gym owner, Cerresso Fort, started offering mentorship and other supports, which grew into regular programming.  Demand grew and in 2022 FFYD approached the foundation to support increased capacity to deliver youth services by hiring a Youth Development Director. This new position will design a formal curriculum for participating youth, recruit and coordinate volunteers, raise funds, recruit sponsorships, and measure impact. 

With increased capacity, the goal is to offer core programs to include one-on-one mentorship, health & wellness education, boxing scholarships and character development through specialized programming (media, arts, outdoor and sports activities). With the onset of the school year, more tutoring and computer access support is anticipated. The ultimate objective is to support the goals that are important to the participating youth. The target population is youth and young adults on the East Side, including but not limited to members of SIR Boxing Club ages 14-24 primarily but not exclusively.

Rooted Philanthropic provided $50,000 per year for two years to support the Youth Development Director position.

“Contributions from Rooted Philanthropic have allowed us to hire a youth development director to expand our programming and measure our impact. Ultimately this is creating more structure for our young people fostering an environment for character and leadership development.”    Georgia Fort, Board President

Photos courtesy of Georgia Fort and SIR Boxing Club.