DETROIT (WXYZ) — One Detroit-based organization received a $500,000 grant award from the Obama Foundation.
Black Family Development received the grant under the Obama Foundation's My Brother's Keeper Alliance Impact Cities program, a national competition that identifies and invests in communities that are making steady progress to improve the lives of boys and young men of color.
Detroit was one of ten cities nationwide to be selected as an Impact City.
“Detroit is the ideal city to impact, expand and build upon the national and local work of My Brother’s Keeper which began here in 2014,” said Alice Thompson, CEO of Black Family Development. “We have the right partners, leadership, robust and achievable goals that will improve the life outcomes for boys and young men of color.”
The grant funds were matched by another $500,000 from the Skillman Foundation.
“Black men and boys are important contributors to the success and growth of the families, organizations and communities they are a part of. As a longstanding advocate of Detroit’s boys of color, The Skillman Foundation is honored to match the Obama Foundation’s contribution to support the great work of Black Family Development and its partners,” said Tonya Allen, President & CEO of The Skillman Foundation.
With the $1 million in funding, Black Family Development will use the grants to support restorative practices and justice training, which focus on on improving relationships between people and communities through programs that specifically work on maintaining or improving grades and attendance at school; showing improved behavior, conflict resolution and coping skills; showing increased self-esteem and improved resistance to negative peer pressure, and showing improvement in job readiness skills.
