Xcel 2 Fitness

Stephen Vaughn

Xcel 2 Fitness is an after-school fitness and character development program empowering boys to chase their dreams. Participants build confidence through fun fitness challenges while engaging in discussions around the importance of finding their passion, getting the right people around them, and developing grit to overcome obstacles in life.

Wise Guys

Jeff Rothberg

Wise Guys® is an evidence-based program for adolescent males which stresses positive conceptions of masculinity, responsible behavior in relationships, and healthy decision-making. It is a program of Children’s Home Society of NC, the leading private foster care and adoption agency in NC that provides a broad range of prevention, family education, foster care, adoption, and post adoption services.

Ultreia Society

Bethany Darnley

The Ultreia Society creates cyclical systems of support for students through mentorship and community engagement. The program builds a foundation of support through wrap-around mentorship for freshmen students from upperclassmen. It not only propels students further and higher, but teaches them how to inspire others to reach higher for themselves.

Think Broader Foundation

Paula Kranz Broadwell

Think Broader provides education, training, and content development to advocate for individuals or groups who face systematic social (and media) discrimination. Our mission is to use innovative and engaging approaches, such as virtual reality simulations, to facilitate empowered lives free from social stigmas and stereotypes brought about by both conscious and unconscious bias.

The Be More Foundation

James E. Ford

The Be More Foundation is a media literacy organization, addressing issues of economic mobility in Charlotte through social innovation. Be More educates students on how to use media platforms to defy negative stereotypes, while creating social messaging regarding fiscal responsibility, productive citizenship, education, and family planning.

Shakespeare in a Chair

Mark Williams

Shakespeare in a Chair is a youth literacy program focused on enhancing reading comprehension, self confidence, and critical thinking skills. The program uses the stories in Shakespeare’s plays, as an opportunity to learn great literature, but also discuss the importance of adopting family values, personal decision making, and goal setting skills.

RunningWorks

Meredith Dolhare

RunningWorks is a value-based, mentorship driven sport for change organization using running to empower individuals and families to break cycles of abuse, abandonment, neglect, poverty, and homelessness within a demographic of five to 70-years-old. Assisting with employment, housing, healthcare, legal issues, and transportation, RunningWorks meets each individual where they are.

Respect Ability Foundation

Dr. Temeka Brantley

The Respect Ability Foundation creates awareness about bullying through music, creative arts and character education in greater Charlotte elementary schools. Year-long anti-bullying programs, workshops and summer camps are offered to empower, equip and encourage bystanders to become “upstanders,” who stand up to bullying. Respect Ability Foundation, will launch Upstanders United, a new middle school anti-bullying program next school year.

Reading Partners Charlotte

Sharon Carr Harrington

Reading Partners empowers elementary students to reach their full potential by ensuring they have the foundational reading skills necessary for academic, professional, and life success. To support this effort, Reading Partners mobilizes community volunteers to provide one-on-one literacy tutoring to struggling readers at high-poverty schools.

Project Safe Child

Andrew Oliver

Pat’s Place Child Advocacy Center coordinates the investigation and treatment of the most serious cases of child abuse throughout Mecklenburg County. Project Safe Child strategically targets child abuse prevention and intervention efforts to improve the protective capacities of adults and transform how the community understands and confronts child abuse.