Create opportunities. That's the goal.

While many strategies to reduce violence focus on policing strategies, we keep encouraging investment in comprehensive, volunteer-based tutor/mentor programs that can help expand aspirations and lead young people to careers out of poverty.

Here are two stories of young people who started with us many years ago.

Tramane Montel Ford got his first taste of acting in 1995 when he became part of the video group at Cabrini Connections. On August 7th he performed his new show, The Tramaine Experience: A One Man Show, and raised money so we can help other kids have similar experiences.

Isaiah Brooms was a Keynote Speaker at the November 2009 Tutor/Mentor Leadership and Networking Conference, where he told how his life has taken a positive direction because of the support he received from his mentor, and the tutoring/programs he was part of. Here's the full transcript of his presentation.

We could not tell these stories if an orchestra of volunteers and donors had not provided time, talent and dollars to enable us to continue as an organization for the past 18 years so that we can provide this support, and enable these connections to grow.

Now we're in a deep economic struggle, and we need new donors and benefactors to step forward with the dollars it will take to offer the 2010-11 school year program. Visit this page to learn of donor opportunities, and this page to send a contribution via PayPal.