notes from the neighborhood:
the mentor2youth blog
a vision for the future
a note from Darryl L. Johnson, M2Y Executive Director
The “Neighbor” is back in the “Hood!” It is 2025. We see a healthy community. We have learned the value of community and adopted its basic principles in our own individual lives and personal spheres of influence. Its promises have to do with people living together in both freedom and love. “Freedom” and “love” are simple words. They are not simple actions. True freedom means something much more and different from a “me first” kind of individualism. Genuine love consistently requires some tough decisions.
Community is a group of individuals who have learned how to communicate honestly with each other, whose relationships go deeper than their masks of composure, and who have developed some significant commitment to “rejoice together, mourn together,” and to “delight in each other, to make others’ conditions their own.”
Community neither came naturally nor was it purchased cheaply, we paid the price. Demanding rules needed to be learned and followed. Clear ones, saving ones, and we did it! We learned them and applied them first in our personal lives, then within our community, then we apply them universally. We built the bridge and we crossed into the community.
As Oprah Winfrey said: “I am where I am because of the bridges that I crossed. Sojourner Truth was a bridge. Harriet Tubman was a bridge. Ida B. Wells was a bridge. Madame C.J. Walker was a bridge. Fannie Lou Hamer was a bridge.”
Like these amazing women, Mentor2Youth is also a bridge.
Your donation and your volunteerism can be bridges too.
Novemeber Updates
Happy Holidays Family! We hope everyone enjoyed this Thanksgiving break whether it consisted of family involvement, quality time at home, or receiving overtime. The holiday season is a cheerful time that brings all people together. To ensure everyone leaves this year feeling their best and prepared for next year we’ve provided some resources for the community.
Food Banks-
( SOS Community Services- Food Distribution Center)
(Family Inc. Food Distribution Center)
(Hope Clinic Food Distribution Center )
Housing
( SOS Community Services )
( Community Special Housing)
( Ozone House )
Clothing Shelters
( SOS Community Services )
( House by the side of the road )
This previous month we started the JA It's My Business program in our Young Men Of Purpose program at Ypsilanti Community Schools! The JA It’s My Business program will teach our Young Kings what it takes to be an entrepreneur, how to launch a business, and the ability to create a pitch. By the end of the program they will know how to turn an idea into a product or service. We are so excited to introduce this program to our Young Kings! We believe this program will manifest young kings on how to invest and create wealth. Being financially literate generally enlightens us in various ways through which we can invest our money and generate more wealth. It prevents us from making poor financial decisions .To enroll your son on our waitlist, please visit our website mentor2youth.org . Now , we have fun too! Our Young Kings had a blast at the private screening for Wakanda Forever. Right after school, with our V.I.P Mentor2Youth bus, we picked up the Young Kings and took them to the Rave Cinema in Ypsilanti. Of course if you are going to see a movie in the theater having snacks is the perfect combo. We made sure our Young Kings had the best experience by providing hot dogs, snacks, and juice for the movie. Every Saturday we meet at the Parkridge Community Center from 10am-2pm. During this time children will eat breakfast, participate in an activity that involves community collaboration, have free choice time (options of basketball, creating graphics on the computer, or making music in the studio!), and after free choice time lunch is served. To enroll your son in our programming visit our website www.mentor2youth.org .
Simply put: kids do better when families are engaged and connected. We help to foster a safe and supportive environment. Parent 2 Village (P2V) will serve as a collaborative and supportive vehicle for African-American and under-represented students of color and their parents. The organization will foster strong, meaningful alliances with schools to encourage academic excellence, leadership skills, cultural awareness, pride and respect, and problem-solving. The main priority is the education of all students with special emphasis on the education of BIPOC students so that they will attain their full educational potential.
Learn more about our Parent 2 Village program — and sign up today!
