“My daughter, Maya Hawkins Bailey was blessed with the opportunity to be one of the first participants of the program. It was provided at no cost to the parents, which made it financially possible for everyone to participate. In addition, each week, a meal was provided for the girls free of charge and transportation was also available if necessary to ensure all the girls could participate.

The group met on a weekly basis and Maya looked forward to attending each week. She especially liked learning about starting a business, developing a business plan, and budgeting for her business. Ms. Keasha encouraged self-esteem-building activities and helped the girls deal with bullying. I observed positive changes in Maya each week. She has been able to express herself with more confidence. Maya is naturally shy and being part of this program was beneficial.

I cannot say enough about the benefits of this program. The program reaches out to girls just when they need it most when they are confused about their future and are transitioning from elementary to middle school. The program gives them a supportive foundation of hope to stand on.”

— Patricia Hawkins