Grizzlies Foundation Grants $750K to Urban Youth Initiative
Urban Youth Initiative was granted $750k on April 18.
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On Monday, April 18, moments before the Memphis Grizzlies tipped-off their awe-inspiring game versus the San Antonio Spurs, the Memphis Grizzlies Charitable Foundation made an extraordinary move of their own, presenting a $750,000 grant to Urban Youth Initiative (UYI).
“The Urban Youth Initiative has an extraordinary model for serving the hardest-to-reach kids in our community, and we’re proud to recognize their commitment and effectiveness with this gift,” said Jenny Turner Koltnow, Executive Director of the Memphis Grizzlies Charitable Foundation.
UYI was established in 1993 to facilitate the recruitment, training and placement of over 120 youth workers in the highest poverty and juvenile-crime plagued areas of Memphis. These youth workers reach out to and mentor youth, serving approximately 10,000 youth each year. Currently, there are more than 110 UYI “alumni” workers at some 60 different locations throughout the city. UYI primarily works in partnership with churches, faith-based non-profits, and Memphis City Schools.
In addition to developing ministries to reach at-risk youth, UYI has expanded its scope to providing specialized, innovative programming for high-risk youth and juvenile offenders. In April 2004, the Memphis Grizzlies presented a $1 million gift to support Target 1000, a UYI collaborative dedicated to fighting juvenile crime and violence in Memphis. With a collaboration of agencies, Target 1000 aims to reduce the recidivism rate for juvenile offenders. With their partners, UYI provides needed intervention to rehabilitate youth and ultimately reduce crime in our neighborhoods.
“We at UYI are so blessed to have the continued support of the Memphis Grizzlies Charitable Foundation as we seek to empower teens and pre-teens to become healthy, productive members of society. What a wonderful example the Grizzlies Foundation sets in partnering with us to let some of our most under-served youth know that we care about them in Memphis.”
The Memphis Grizzlies organization is among the most philanthropic in professional sports. Since December 2001, they have contributed over $16 million to local nonprofit organizations through the Memphis Grizzlies Charitable Fund and Foundation. Current grant partners include BRIDGES USA, Memphis Athletic Ministries, Soulsville, Inc., Youth Villages, Urban Youth Initiative, and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.