Why We Can't Wait, Inc.
Programs
Budget
$250,000.00
Description
WWCW B.A.S.I.S is a collaboration with Davidson County Juvenile Court, Metro Nashville Public Schools, and Nashville After Zone Alliance. As a partner agency, we will provide services to youth in detention, i.e., groups, mentoring, family sessions. We will use the following curriculums, Rites of Passage (MNPS Safe & Drug free Schools), Coaching Boys to Men (Office of Minority Health), Nashville Vision for Holistic Youth Development (Emotional Intelligence and Self-Management) along with others, social skills, and job readiness/ retention. The goal is to develop a life plan with each youth, so when they are released, they reframe from criminal activity. We will visit the homes, schools, and in the community through case management and assist with school supplies, clothes, food shortage, job, and transportation. Bus passes will be purchased for those that are age appropriate and can work at the conclusion of the school day. Parent meetings will take place once a month.
Program Successes
Twenty -five released teens successfully transition back to school and have jobs. They have become a part of the WWCW Ambassador Program or other programs in the city that help them remain focused.
Beneficiaries
Adolescents
Families
Formerly incarcerated people & incarcerated people
Long-term Success
The long - term success of the program is for formerly incarcerated youth to reframe from committing crimes and become a productive citizen, graduating from high school, attending trade school, community college, or university, and giving back to the community.
Short-term Success
The short - term success would see formerly incarcerated youth transition successfully back to school, become gainfully employed, reframe from hanging with negative influences.
Program Success Monitored By
The program success will be monitored by Why We Can't Wait, Inc., Metro Nashville Public Schools, Nashville After Zone Alliance, the Wallace Foundation and Davidson County Juvenile Court.
Program Areas Served
Davidson County Juvenile Detention Center
$250,000.00
Description
WWCW B.A.S.I.S is a collaboration with Davidson County Juvenile Court, Metro Nashville Public Schools, and Nashville After Zone Alliance. As a partner agency, we will provide services to youth in detention, i.e., groups, mentoring, family sessions. We will use the following curriculums, Rites of Passage (MNPS Safe & Drug free Schools), Coaching Boys to Men (Office of Minority Health), Nashville Vision for Holistic Youth Development (Emotional Intelligence and Self-Management) along with others, social skills, and job readiness/ retention. The goal is to develop a life plan with each youth, so when they are released, they reframe from criminal activity. We will visit the homes, schools, and in the community through case management and assist with school supplies, clothes, food shortage, job, and transportation. Bus passes will be purchased for those that are age appropriate and can work at the conclusion of the school day. Parent meetings will take place once a month.
Program Successes
Twenty -five released teens successfully transition back to school and have jobs. They have become a part of the WWCW Ambassador Program or other programs in the city that help them remain focused.
Beneficiaries
Adolescents
Families
Formerly incarcerated people & incarcerated people
Long-term Success
The long - term success of the program is for formerly incarcerated youth to reframe from committing crimes and become a productive citizen, graduating from high school, attending trade school, community college, or university, and giving back to the community.
Short-term Success
The short - term success would see formerly incarcerated youth transition successfully back to school, become gainfully employed, reframe from hanging with negative influences.
Program Success Monitored By
The program success will be monitored by Why We Can't Wait, Inc., Metro Nashville Public Schools, Nashville After Zone Alliance, the Wallace Foundation and Davidson County Juvenile Court.
Program Areas Served
Davidson County Juvenile Detention Center
Budget
$50,000.00
Description
The WWCW Ambassador program, a partnership between Why We Can't Wait, Inc., and the Scholar Identity Model Community Outreach Initiative (SIMCOI) directed by Vanderbilt University's Dr. Gilman Whiting. The program serves boys aged 12-17 from Nashville's underserved communities. Its mission is to empower youth to become productive citizens by nurturing their academic interests, critical thinking skills, social & emotional wellness, and overall fitness while fostering good nutrition habits. Additionally, strengthening parent-child relationships and addressing health issues like childhood diabetes and obesity.
Our curriculum includes seven modules: Documentary series; Martial Arts; Social/Emotional Learning; Fitness Activities including swimming; Service-Learning Projects; Communication/Public Speaking Training; Rites of Passage. Supplemental activities encompass drug/alcohol prevention courses, conflict resolution training, field trips, and book clubs.
Program Successes
Beginning BMI and improved ending BMI, with boys focused on eating nutritious meals and exercising daily.
Certified in CPR, First Aid, AED, participation in drivers education, receiving driver's license.
GPA exhibited of 3.5 or better.
Engaged in giving back to the community with 10 hours per month.
Beneficiaries
Adolescents
Men and boys
At-Risk Populations
Long-term Success
The long-term success of the ambassador program includes all the boys in the program graduating from high school, attending a college or university, equipped with drivers license, life guard certification, CPR, First Aid, AED, certified, knowledge of flying drones, certified in coding, and improved awareness socially, emotionally, physically, and mentally. The ultimate goal is to see the participants attending college in the area, to return as mentors to younger boys in the program.
Short-term Success
Short term success of the Ambassador program consist of the participants attending school daily, maintain a 2.7 GPA or better, progress to the next grade level in school, exhibit an improved BMI, and have goals set for the upcoming year.
Program Success Monitored By
The success of the program is monitored by both Why We Can't Wait, Inc. and Vanderbilt University.
Program Areas Served
Cleveland Street Baptist Church, Vanderbilt University
$50,000.00
Description
The WWCW Ambassador program, a partnership between Why We Can't Wait, Inc., and the Scholar Identity Model Community Outreach Initiative (SIMCOI) directed by Vanderbilt University's Dr. Gilman Whiting. The program serves boys aged 12-17 from Nashville's underserved communities. Its mission is to empower youth to become productive citizens by nurturing their academic interests, critical thinking skills, social & emotional wellness, and overall fitness while fostering good nutrition habits. Additionally, strengthening parent-child relationships and addressing health issues like childhood diabetes and obesity.
Our curriculum includes seven modules: Documentary series; Martial Arts; Social/Emotional Learning; Fitness Activities including swimming; Service-Learning Projects; Communication/Public Speaking Training; Rites of Passage. Supplemental activities encompass drug/alcohol prevention courses, conflict resolution training, field trips, and book clubs.
Program Successes
Beginning BMI and improved ending BMI, with boys focused on eating nutritious meals and exercising daily.
Certified in CPR, First Aid, AED, participation in drivers education, receiving driver's license.
GPA exhibited of 3.5 or better.
Engaged in giving back to the community with 10 hours per month.
Beneficiaries
Adolescents
Men and boys
At-Risk Populations
Long-term Success
The long-term success of the ambassador program includes all the boys in the program graduating from high school, attending a college or university, equipped with drivers license, life guard certification, CPR, First Aid, AED, certified, knowledge of flying drones, certified in coding, and improved awareness socially, emotionally, physically, and mentally. The ultimate goal is to see the participants attending college in the area, to return as mentors to younger boys in the program.
Short-term Success
Short term success of the Ambassador program consist of the participants attending school daily, maintain a 2.7 GPA or better, progress to the next grade level in school, exhibit an improved BMI, and have goals set for the upcoming year.
Program Success Monitored By
The success of the program is monitored by both Why We Can't Wait, Inc. and Vanderbilt University.
Program Areas Served
Cleveland Street Baptist Church, Vanderbilt University
Budget
$40,000.00
Description
The Why We Can't Wait Career Applications Regarding Students partners with the Metro Action Commission Opportunity Now program and the Metropolitan Development Housing Authority (MDHA) to provide jobs for teens ages 14 - 16 and college students ages 20 - 24. The program assembles a group of six with a Near Peer leader (college student) allowing the teens to work 20 hours a week at a rate of $8.00 per hour. The college students are hired and trained through S.T.A.R.S. which allows them to receive 25 hours a week at a rate of $12.00 per hour. The teens are given work assignments in close proximity to where they live. This prevents tardiness and students from missing work. As a part of the job experience, the teens journal their work experience and put together a power-point slide to be presented at the end of the summer showcase highlighting what they learned and how it has developed them as a person. Why We Can't Wait, Inc. hires additional site coordinators to assist the Near Peer
Program Successes
Examples of success include the following: Barrington moving from teen job participant to Near Peer leader and now a staff with the Why We Can't Wait summer jobs program. Other examples include Kanisha working for the Fisk University program under WWCW and moving from teen participant to summer staff for the Fisk University "Thrust" program. Additionally, Kevin, Jamal, Fredricka, Pam, James, Marvin, Earl, Brenda and a host of others have move from the 20 hours a week provided by the WWCW C.A.R.S. program to 40 hours a week during the summer and part-time during school at places that none had the skills or courage to apply.
Category
Employment - Job Training & Employment
Beneficiaries
Adolescents
Adults
At-Risk Populations
Long-term Success
The long -term success of the program has seen teens transition from the on-the-job training summer enrichment jobs to gainful employment as adults.
Short-term Success
The short-term success of the program is taking teens off the streets and providing an opportunity to learn a skill and receive a pay check to buy their school clothes and help out at home.
Program Success Monitored By
The success of the program is monitored by the senior staff of Why We Can't Wait, Inc.
Program Areas Served
South, North, East and West Nashville
$40,000.00
Description
The Why We Can't Wait Career Applications Regarding Students partners with the Metro Action Commission Opportunity Now program and the Metropolitan Development Housing Authority (MDHA) to provide jobs for teens ages 14 - 16 and college students ages 20 - 24. The program assembles a group of six with a Near Peer leader (college student) allowing the teens to work 20 hours a week at a rate of $8.00 per hour. The college students are hired and trained through S.T.A.R.S. which allows them to receive 25 hours a week at a rate of $12.00 per hour. The teens are given work assignments in close proximity to where they live. This prevents tardiness and students from missing work. As a part of the job experience, the teens journal their work experience and put together a power-point slide to be presented at the end of the summer showcase highlighting what they learned and how it has developed them as a person. Why We Can't Wait, Inc. hires additional site coordinators to assist the Near Peer
Program Successes
Examples of success include the following: Barrington moving from teen job participant to Near Peer leader and now a staff with the Why We Can't Wait summer jobs program. Other examples include Kanisha working for the Fisk University program under WWCW and moving from teen participant to summer staff for the Fisk University "Thrust" program. Additionally, Kevin, Jamal, Fredricka, Pam, James, Marvin, Earl, Brenda and a host of others have move from the 20 hours a week provided by the WWCW C.A.R.S. program to 40 hours a week during the summer and part-time during school at places that none had the skills or courage to apply.
Category
Employment - Job Training & Employment
Beneficiaries
Adolescents
Adults
At-Risk Populations
Long-term Success
The long -term success of the program has seen teens transition from the on-the-job training summer enrichment jobs to gainful employment as adults.
Short-term Success
The short-term success of the program is taking teens off the streets and providing an opportunity to learn a skill and receive a pay check to buy their school clothes and help out at home.
Program Success Monitored By
The success of the program is monitored by the senior staff of Why We Can't Wait, Inc.
Program Areas Served
South, North, East and West Nashville
Budget
$20,000.00
Description
WWCW South targets boys 13 - 18 years of age that reside in Tony Sudekum/J.C. Napier housing projects. Our goal is to develop leaders, prep them for academic success, while engaging them in real life experiences that will assist them in becoming productive men. The program features job training, service learning projects, political awareness, fitness training, entrepreneur workshops, team building, and social/emotional learning sessions. The boys are taken on overnight retreats once a month during the summer. They also are taken on college tours. The program has added the participants being certified in life guard, TSSAA, CPR/First Aid, and Drivers Education.
Program Successes
Since the inception of the program, 95% of the participants have graduated from high school. 25% of the participants have been in some form of higher learning and 100% of the participants who are adults now are gainfully employed.
Beneficiaries
Adolescents
Economically disadvantaged people
At-Risk Populations
Long-term Success
The long -term success of the program has seen boys reframing from solving issues violently in their community, becoming teen fathers and productive adults with gainful employment and experiencing some form of higher education.
Short-term Success
The short-term success of the program is taking boys off the streets at a prime time for open air drug sells, sexual promiscuity's and interactions with police.
Program Success Monitored By
The success of the program is monitored by the senior leadership of Why We Can't Wait, Inc. and Dr. Whiting, professor at Vanderbilt University.
Program Areas Served
South Nashville
$20,000.00
Description
WWCW South targets boys 13 - 18 years of age that reside in Tony Sudekum/J.C. Napier housing projects. Our goal is to develop leaders, prep them for academic success, while engaging them in real life experiences that will assist them in becoming productive men. The program features job training, service learning projects, political awareness, fitness training, entrepreneur workshops, team building, and social/emotional learning sessions. The boys are taken on overnight retreats once a month during the summer. They also are taken on college tours. The program has added the participants being certified in life guard, TSSAA, CPR/First Aid, and Drivers Education.
Program Successes
Since the inception of the program, 95% of the participants have graduated from high school. 25% of the participants have been in some form of higher learning and 100% of the participants who are adults now are gainfully employed.
Beneficiaries
Adolescents
Economically disadvantaged people
At-Risk Populations
Long-term Success
The long -term success of the program has seen boys reframing from solving issues violently in their community, becoming teen fathers and productive adults with gainful employment and experiencing some form of higher education.
Short-term Success
The short-term success of the program is taking boys off the streets at a prime time for open air drug sells, sexual promiscuity's and interactions with police.
Program Success Monitored By
The success of the program is monitored by the senior leadership of Why We Can't Wait, Inc. and Dr. Whiting, professor at Vanderbilt University.
Program Areas Served
South Nashville
Budget
$50,000.00
Description
CCM Leadership Academy is a city-wide, eight week summer enrichment program that serves youth ages 6 -16. The program preps youth for academic success, while developing them physically, socially and emotionally as leaders. Mornings feature rotating sessions on Science, technology, math, sports & fitness and literacy (scholastic summer bundle books, grammar lessons, weekly spelling test, bi-weekly oral spelling bee). Following lunch, the sessions feature African dance, Positive Movement hip/hop dance, Arts & crafts and leadership development/team building. The participants swim when scheduled and attend weekly field trips on Friday. The teens participate in weekly service learning projects, interviewing for jobs and college tours. CCM Leadership Academy operates Monday through Friday from 7:00 am until 4:00 pm. Working parents are given a hour courtesy to pick their youth or teen up from the program.
Program Successes
Hundreds of youth that participated in the program have graduated high school. 75% of the participants have gone or are going to some form of higher learning.
Beneficiaries
Children
Families
At-Risk Populations
Long-term Success
CCM Leadership Academy has assisted in hundreds of youth successfully graduating high school, attending trade schools, community colleges, colleges, armed forces and universities; becoming productive adults.
Short-term Success
The short-term success of the program is daily it provides opportunity for youth and teens, ages 6 -16 to improve academic success, eat two nutritious meals (breakfast /lunch), improve ending BMI, engage in arts & crafts, hip /hop dance, drama, African dance and leadership development from 7:00 - 4:00 pm. As a courtesy, we give parents until five pm, in which to pick up from the program.
Program Success Monitored By
The program success is monitored by MDHA, Vanderbilt University, NAZA, and the senior staff of Why We Can't Wait, Inc.
Program Areas Served
City -Wide
$50,000.00
Description
CCM Leadership Academy is a city-wide, eight week summer enrichment program that serves youth ages 6 -16. The program preps youth for academic success, while developing them physically, socially and emotionally as leaders. Mornings feature rotating sessions on Science, technology, math, sports & fitness and literacy (scholastic summer bundle books, grammar lessons, weekly spelling test, bi-weekly oral spelling bee). Following lunch, the sessions feature African dance, Positive Movement hip/hop dance, Arts & crafts and leadership development/team building. The participants swim when scheduled and attend weekly field trips on Friday. The teens participate in weekly service learning projects, interviewing for jobs and college tours. CCM Leadership Academy operates Monday through Friday from 7:00 am until 4:00 pm. Working parents are given a hour courtesy to pick their youth or teen up from the program.
Program Successes
Hundreds of youth that participated in the program have graduated high school. 75% of the participants have gone or are going to some form of higher learning.
Beneficiaries
Children
Families
At-Risk Populations
Long-term Success
CCM Leadership Academy has assisted in hundreds of youth successfully graduating high school, attending trade schools, community colleges, colleges, armed forces and universities; becoming productive adults.
Short-term Success
The short-term success of the program is daily it provides opportunity for youth and teens, ages 6 -16 to improve academic success, eat two nutritious meals (breakfast /lunch), improve ending BMI, engage in arts & crafts, hip /hop dance, drama, African dance and leadership development from 7:00 - 4:00 pm. As a courtesy, we give parents until five pm, in which to pick up from the program.
Program Success Monitored By
The program success is monitored by MDHA, Vanderbilt University, NAZA, and the senior staff of Why We Can't Wait, Inc.
Program Areas Served
City -Wide
Budget
$36,000.00
Description
The WWCW After-School Academy is geared toward 5th through 8th grade students. Why We Can't Wait, Inc. is a NAZA anchor partner and the site is set up to target youth/teens that attend KIPP middle schools. It operates Monday through Thursday, 4:00 - 6:00 pm, featuring dinner, homework/tutoring, mentoring, and enrichment. The enrichment activities vary each day, for an example, Monday's have sewing, Tuesday's, yoga, Wednesday's Hip/hop dance, and Thursday's arts & crafts. It is a literacy rich after-school program and we use field trips as incentives for perfect attendance in school, improving grades, and few behavior infractions.
Program Successes
Examples of program success includes last year's valedictorian at KIPP Collegiate graduating and receiving a full ride to Duke University.
Beneficiaries
Men and boys
Women and girls
At-Risk Populations
Long-term Success
The long -term success of the program features former middle school students graduating from high school and attending college.
Short-term Success
The short-term success of the program provides an opportunity for 50 or more youth to have a safe place to receive homework / tutoring, form friendships, engage in enrichment activities and attend field trips.
Program Success Monitored By
The success of the program is monitored by NAZA, Vanderbilt University and the senior staff of Why We Can't Wait, Inc.
Program Areas Served
East Nashville
$36,000.00
Description
The WWCW After-School Academy is geared toward 5th through 8th grade students. Why We Can't Wait, Inc. is a NAZA anchor partner and the site is set up to target youth/teens that attend KIPP middle schools. It operates Monday through Thursday, 4:00 - 6:00 pm, featuring dinner, homework/tutoring, mentoring, and enrichment. The enrichment activities vary each day, for an example, Monday's have sewing, Tuesday's, yoga, Wednesday's Hip/hop dance, and Thursday's arts & crafts. It is a literacy rich after-school program and we use field trips as incentives for perfect attendance in school, improving grades, and few behavior infractions.
Program Successes
Examples of program success includes last year's valedictorian at KIPP Collegiate graduating and receiving a full ride to Duke University.
Beneficiaries
Men and boys
Women and girls
At-Risk Populations
Long-term Success
The long -term success of the program features former middle school students graduating from high school and attending college.
Short-term Success
The short-term success of the program provides an opportunity for 50 or more youth to have a safe place to receive homework / tutoring, form friendships, engage in enrichment activities and attend field trips.
Program Success Monitored By
The success of the program is monitored by NAZA, Vanderbilt University and the senior staff of Why We Can't Wait, Inc.
Program Areas Served
East Nashville
CEO/Executive Director/Board Comments
| The challenges facing our programs are developing resources beyond the summer. One of the ways we are meeting this challenge is board recruitment and development. Secondly, we are collaborating with other nonprofits to strengthen the community being served. We have become an Anchor Partner with NAZA to further the development of youth/ teens and expand our reach. Why We Can't Wait, Inc. is transparent in our service to the greater Nashville area. Our becoming apart of the Giving Matters network further solidifies this effort. |
