Iraise Girls & Boys International Corporation

THE MISSION OF I'RAISE GIRLS & BOYS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION IS TO PROVIDE HOLISTIC PROGRAMS TO IMPROVE THE SOCIO-EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING AND EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES OF YOUTH AGES 4-21. I'RAISE BEGAN AS A GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATION IN THE NORTH BRONX WITH A VISION TO FOSTER AND IMPROVE THE SOCIAL AND EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES IN VULNERABLE CHILDREN AND YOUTH IN URBAN NYC COMMUNITIES. SHANEQUA MOORE, FOUNDER AND CEO, ENVISIONED THE ORGANIZATION SERVING AS A SOLUTION FOR YOUTH AND FAMILIES OF PEOPLE OF COLOR, PREDOMINANTLY AFRICAN AMERICAN AND LATINO, AGAINST THE MYRIAD OF CHALLENGES THAT EXIST IN NEIGHBORHOODS DUE TO SYSTEMIC OPPRESSION AND RACISM INCLUDING POOR QUALITY EDUCATION, TRAUMA, MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, LACK OF ACCESS TO RESOURCES, GANG VIOLENCE, FOSTER CARE PLACEMENT, AND POVERTY. OVER THE YEARS, I'RAISE HAS BECOME A SAFE HAVEN FOR HUNDREDS OF CHILDREN THROUGH ITS CULTURALLY ENRICHING PROGRAMS, THAT ENGAGE THE WHOLE CHILD USING MULTI-DIMENSIONAL AND CULTURALLY HUMBLE APPROACHES.

I'RAISE SERVED OVER 779 INDIVIDUALS, EXPANDING ITS REACH TO 14 SCHOOLS AND ACHIEVING SIGNIFICANT OUTCOMES. THE REPORT HIGHLIGHTS INNOVATIVE PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT, IMPACTFUL PARTNERSHIPS, AND A MULTI-PRONGED APPROACH TO FOSTERING MENTAL WELL-BEING WITHIN SCHOOL ENVIRONMENTS. KEY ACHIEVEMENTS: SERVED 779+ VULNERABLE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES. EXPANDED PARTNERSHIPS TO 14 SCHOOLS. ACHIEVED AN 85% WEIGHTED PROGRAM EFFECT SIZE ACROSS SCHOOLS AND SERVICES. RECRUITED AND MAINTAINED FOUR CLINICIANS. IMPLEMENTED THREE NEW PROGRAMS: PEER WELLNESS MODEL, MENTAL HEALTH CURRICULUM, AND PARENT WELLNESS PROGRAM. DEVELOPED 20+ CURRICULA FOR 329 PARENTS ADDRESSING SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL, PHYSICAL, AND FINANCIAL NEEDS. CEO COMPLETED HARVARD'S EXECUTIVE EDUCATION PROGRAM, LEADING TO POLICY FRAMEWORK DEVELOPMENT FOR INNOVATIVE YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH STRATEGIES. ALL I'RAISE LEADERS RECEIVED LEADERSHIP AND CAPACITY BUILDING TRAINING. PROGRAMMATIC INNOVATIONS: REIMAGINED MENTAL WELLNESS: LISTENING SESSIONS AND RESEARCH INFORMED TWO NEW PROGRAMS: THE PEER WELLNESS MODEL, TRAINING YOUTH AS ADVOCATES, AND THE MENTAL HEALTH COURSE, FOSTERING SELF-IDENTIFICATION OF SYMPTOMS. CO-CREATED WITH YOUTH: BOTH NEW PROGRAMS INVOLVED YOUTH PARTICIPATION, ENSURING THEIR VOICES SHAPED THE CURRICULUM. REDEFINED WELLNESS SPACES: UNOCCUPIED SPACES TRANSFORMED INTO SAFE HAVENS FOR ADDRESSING DAILY STRESSORS. INTEGRATIVE MENTAL WELLNESS MODEL: BUILDING MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS WITH CHILDREN AND FAMILIES IMPROVED THEIR OVERALL WELL-BEING. POLICY ADVOCACY: CEO COMPLETED HARVARD'S POLICY PROGRAM: MS. MOORE DEVELOPED A POLICY FRAMEWORK FOR DESIGNING INNOVATIVE YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH STRATEGIES IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS. IN-DEPTH RESEARCH: EXAMINING POLICY GAPS AND INEFFICIENCIES CONTRIBUTING TO THE YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS. COLLABORATION WITH SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS: DECONSTRUCTING THE CRISIS AND CONSTRUCTING NEW SOLUTIONS. LEADERSHIP TRAINING: EQUIPPING LEADERS TO ENGAGE STAKEHOLDERS MEANINGFULLY AND ADDRESS PERSONAL TRAUMA. CONCLUSION: I'RAISE'S ACHIEVEMENTS DEMONSTRATE THE ORGANIZATION'S SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON THE LIVES OF VULNERABLE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES. THROUGH INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS, STRONG PARTNERSHIPS, AND A COMMITMENT TO POLICY ADVOCACY, I'RAISE IS MAKING A POSITIVE DIFFERENCE IN NEW YORK CITY'S MENTAL HEALTH LANDSCAPE.

IRAISE OPERATED ITS GRADUATE INTERN PROGRAM FOR THE 8TH YEAR AND HOSTED GRADUATE INTERNS FROM SEVERAL UNIVERSITIES INCLUDING FORDHAM UNIVERSITY, NEW YORK UNIVERSITY, AND HUNTER COLLEGE.

THE RISE AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM: EMPOWERING AT-RISK YOUTH IN BROOKLYN THE RISE AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM, OPERATING AT P.S./I.S. 178 IN BROWNSVILLE, BROOKLYN, SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTED THE LIVES OF 100 K-5 STUDENTS IN 2022. THIS PROGRAM SPECIFICALLY TARGETS AT-RISK YOUTH ENROLLED IN THE FREE OR REDUCED LUNCH PROGRAM, OFFERING THEM A UNIQUE ART/SPORTS-BASED AFTERSCHOOL EXPERIENCE. PROGRAM COMPONENTS AND IMPACT: ARTISTIC EXPRESSION: DIVERSE ART CLASSES WERE OFFERED, INCLUDING MUSIC/CHORALE, BALLET DANCE, HIP HOP DANCE, FINE ARTS, VISUAL ARTS, AND DRAMA/THEATER. EACH CLASS PROVIDED A CREATIVE OUTLET FOR STUDENTS TO EXPLORE THEIR TALENTS AND DEVELOP SELF-EXPRESSION SKILLS. PHYSICAL ACTIVITY: THE PROGRAM INCORPORATED SPORTS PROGRAMS SUCH AS BASKETBALL AND A NEWLY LAUNCHED WRESTLING INITIATIVE, PROMOTING PHYSICAL FITNESS AND TEAMWORK AMONG PARTICIPANTS. ACADEMIC SUPPORT: DAILY HOMEWORK ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED, ENSURING STUDENTS RECEIVED EXTRA SUPPORT NEEDED TO THRIVE ACADEMICALLY. THIS RESULTED IN DEMONSTRABLY IMPROVED ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE, PROGRESS, AND ATTENDANCE, WITH AN IMPRESSIVE 85% INCREASE ACROSS THESE METRICS. SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING (SEL): WEEKLY SEL GROUPS FACILITATED BY LICENSED SOCIAL WORKERS EQUIPPED STUDENTS WITH CRUCIAL SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL SKILLS, FOSTERING PERSONAL GROWTH AND HEALTHY INTERACTIONS WITH PEERS. OVERALL PROGRAM SUCCESS: THE RISE AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM DEMONSTRABLY IMPROVED THE ACADEMIC, SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL, AND PHYSICAL WELL-BEING OF AT-RISK YOUTH IN BROWNSVILLE. BY PROVIDING A MULTIFACETED AFTERSCHOOL EXPERIENCE, THE PROGRAM CATERED TO DIVERSE INTERESTS AND NEEDS, ULTIMATELY EMPOWERING STUDENTS TO REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM 2022: I'RAISE DELIVERED DIVERSE ONLINE AND OFFLINE PROGRAMS, IMPACTING OVER 6,000 YOUTH AND FAMILIES. THIS REPORT SHOWCASES KEY INITIATIVES AND THEIR MEASURABLE CONTRIBUTIONS: 1. EXPANDING EDUCATIONAL PATHWAYS: OVER 3,000 HOURS OF VIRTUAL PROGRAMMING CATERED TO CHILDREN 5-18. THE VIRTUAL ACADEMY OFFERED 15 COURSES SPANNING LITERACY, ARTS, AND SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING, FOSTERING CONTINUOUS LEARNING AND COMMUNITY CONNECTION. DIVERSE COURSE OPTIONS INCLUDED COOKING, FINE ARTS, CODING, READING CLUBS, AND EVEN A PROGRAM FOCUSED ON GENERATION Z INTERESTS LIKE LAW, ENTREPRENEURSHIP, AND COMPUTER SCIENCE. 2. PRIORITIZING YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH: OVER 2,000 HOURS OF MENTORING SUPPORT WERE PROVIDED TO CHILDREN 5-18, WITH A FOCUS ON THOSE EXPERIENCING VICARIOUS TRAUMA DURING THE PANDEMIC. MENTORS FOSTERED CONSISTENT SUPPORT AND HELPED YOUTH SET AND ACHIEVE PERSONAL GOALS. OVER 50 ONLINE COMMUNITY TALKS, LIVESTREAMED WEEKLY, RAISED AWARENESS OF YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES AND DISCUSSED NEW STRATEGIES FOR IMPROVEMENT WITH LEADING EXPERTS. 3. STRENGTHENING ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT: OVER 200 CHILDREN RECEIVED ONE-ON-ONE TUTORING IN ALL SUBJECTS, ASSISTING WITH REMOTE LEARNING AND INDIVIDUAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS. TUTORS SERVED AS AN ADDITIONAL SOURCE OF SUPPORT DURING THE PANDEMIC. 4. EMPOWERING PARENTS AND GIRLS OF COLOR: OVER 30 ONLINE PARENTING WORKSHOPS REACHED OVER 1,000 PARENTS, CREATING A SUPPORT NETWORK AND EQUIPPING THEM WITH ESSENTIAL POST-PANDEMIC PARENTING SKILLS. A DEDICATED COACHING PROGRAM SERVED OVER 50 MIDDLE SCHOOL GIRLS OF COLOR, ADDRESSING RACIALIZED TRAUMA AND SELF-ESTEEM ISSUES THROUGH INDIVIDUALIZED SUPPORT. 5. ADDRESSING COMMUNITY NEEDS: A COVID-19 EDUCATION AND AWARENESS CAMPAIGN REACHED 2,000+ COMMUNITY MEMBERS, PROVIDING CULTURALLY RELEVANT INFORMATION ON PREVENTIVE CARE, HEALTHCARE ACCESS, AND HOUSING ASSISTANCE. ONGOING RESEARCH INVESTIGATES BLACK HESITANCY TOWARDS COVID-19 VACCINATION, AIMING TO UNDERSTAND AND ADDRESS UNDERLYING CONCERNS WITHIN THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM. IMPACT: I'RAISE'S MULTIFACETED PROGRAMS DEMONSTRABLY ADDRESSED CRITICAL NEEDS DURING AND AFTER THE PANDEMIC. BY PROVIDING ACADEMIC SUPPORT, PROMOTING MENTAL WELL-BEING, AND EMPOWERING BOTH YOUTH AND FAMILIES, I'RAISE CONTRIBUTED TO A MORE RESILIENT AND THRIVING COMMUNITY.