Foot Locker Foundation Community Empowerment Program

There’s no question that the world is an increasingly complex place to navigate when you’re young, especially in under-resourced communities where support and opportunity are scarce.  

To kickstart the kinds of opportunities youth need, LISC and the Foot Locker Foundation joined forces three years ago to launch the Foot Locker Foundation Community Empowerment Program, which funds nonprofit community organizations offering a range of services for young people, including health and wellness, education and life skills, mentoring, and career development. The program is part of Foot Locker Inc.’s Leading Education and Economic Development (LEED) initiative, a $200 million commitment to enhance the lives of their team members and the communities they serve. 

Through a competitive application process, we selected 18 community organizations from 11 cities to receive grants from the third round of the Community Empowerment Program. With grants ranging from $30,000-$100,000 each, these organizations will create opportunities for thousands of youth to learn, grow and thrive:  

Atlanta 

• L.E.A.D. Center for Youth offers a baseball-focused sport for development program for elementary through middle school students. The program provides uniforms, sports equipment, training and transportation free of charge.  On and off the field, participants learn and practice critical skills like self-advocacy, goal orientation, self-confidence and social-emotional skills.  

Baltimore 

• AZIZA PE&CE serves non-binary and LGBTQ+ youth ages 14 to 24. The organization provides culturally competent, trauma-informed programming that engages participants in mental health workshops, peer mentoring and cultural enrichment while preparing for STRUT, the organization’s annual fashion show. The program improves mental health outcomes, social connectedness and personal development while helping to identify and connect participants who would benefit from additional mental health resources. 
  
• Grow Home connects Baltimore neighborhoods with green spaces through neighborhood parks revitalization and free after-school and weekend sports activities.  Through the Community Empowerment Grant, the organization will purchase additional equipment and provide operational support to help 3-4 different South Baltimore communities offer year-round sports opportunities for youth. 

Chicago 

• Focus Fairies Mentoring program for young women ages 14 to 21 aims to reduce gun violence and increase economic opportunities. This outreach model will provide as many as 45 young women with a 19-week modular curriculum and one-on-one mentoring from female professionals on conflict resolution, economic independence, social-emotional stability, leadership, manners, and career development. Participants will learn to self-regulate and demonstrate mindfulness; develop a growth mindset; maintain positive relationships; become financially stable through sustainable employment; and be respectful, kind, and responsible citizens. 
  
• Ladies of Virtue connects Chicago-area girls and young women to leadership development, career readiness and college exploration, along with exposure to professional women of color and a personal mentor.  Participants ages 16 and older are matched with summer jobs and internships. All participants in 6th through 12th grade can tour up to three colleges and universities.  

Dallas 

• Cornerstone Community Development Corporation's educational enrichment program will offer 75 students activities to improve self-confidence, develop new skills and increase their academic performance through small-group, individual and peer-to-peer tutoring and instruction. Participants will learn innovative thinking, relationship skills and conflict resolution through a variety of STEM and entrepreneurial activities. 

Houston 

• 8 Million Stories helps young adults (16-24) attain life outcomes that are grounded in positive relationships and creates equitable opportunities through education, job readiness, and personal development. Students who graduate from the program earn free tuition to an in-state college/university or trade school.  

Los Angeles 

• THINKWATTS Foundation will use the grant to build the Think Watts HQ community space, an incubator space offering workforce development programming including coding certification and financial literacy to youth and young adults. 
  
• Urban TXT: Teens Exploring Technology will secure tech equipment to support its core programs in its new physical space, The Cube 3.0, an 8,000-square-foot innovation hub in South LA.  From MacBook Pros and 3D printers to drone creation tools, the state-of-the-art equipment will provide learning opportunities to more than 800 youth who visit the hub annually. 

New York City 

• Bridge Street Development Corporation helps youth ages 14 to 21 learn civic engagement, leadership, and service through a combination of weekly workshops, civics education, community organizing and training. Throughout the year, youth donate seven hours of service each month and take part in leadership training.  The program culminates at the annual Youth Summit at the caucus of the New York State Association of Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic and Asian Legislators. Youth earn a stipend for participation and receive coaching for college scholarships, internships and employment training.
  
• PeacePlayers Brooklyn uses basketball to reach young people ages 8 to 21 with a focus on developing a pipeline of leaders devoted to conflict resolution through peaceful means.  The funding will expand career exploration, employment opportunities, and continued support and engagement post-high school. 

Newark 

• Brothers Building A Better Nation (BBABN) is committed to helping young men achieve their full potential. Through its One Nation Pilgrimage program, BBABN bridges service gaps and enhances coordination between providers with a focus on mental health. Built on direct feedback from the youth it serves, the program invests in the individual and his future through an array of curated events, activities and partnerships. The grant will enable BBABN to expand its geographic scope and help participants gain exposure to more HBCUs and colleges. 

Oakland 

• Hack the Hood is solving the tech equity challenge by providing free programs to Oakland youth who have limited exposure to tech education; delivering rigorous, standards-based and career-aligned tech curricula that incorporate a racial justice lens; building learners' social capital by introducing them to a network of tech leaders and mentors; and providing access to career pathways into the field by partnering with higher education and other post-secondary opportunities.  
  
• New Door Ventures will provide Oakland youth with foundational workplace skills, comprehensive supports and successful employment experiences. The outcome will be successful preparation for and placement of youth into middle-income jobs within quality career pathways, resulting in long-term, sustained impact that enables youth systemically excluded from opportunity to achieve upward mobility. 

Philadelphia 

• The Education Culture Opportunities (ECO) Foundation tackles youth unemployment, poverty, and food insecurity in Philadelphia through a multi-pronged approach to youth empowerment and community support. The Community Eats Program empowers youth through employment, community engagement, and mentorship opportunities by hiring them to distribute food to community members facing food insecurities.  

Washington, DC 

• Alliance of Concerned Men equips youth and young adults with effective conflict resolution strategies and enhanced interpersonal communication abilities through a combination of immersive in-person workshops and engaging virtual sessions. The program goes beyond theoretical knowledge, fostering a hands-on learning environment where real-life scenarios are simulated. As an incentive, stipends are offered to those who actively engage in the training, encouraging safer communities and brighter futures. 
  
• GOODProjects, through its GoodLearningHub, provides Southwest DC youth from public housing year-round after school support, along with a seven-week summer program. Participants from ages 5 to 9 focus on reading, while ages 10 to 14 get support with math. Both groups learn and practice decision making, teamwork, and social emotional skills augmented with outdoor pursuits and choice-based activities.  
  
• Hope and a Home will use its grant to support The Grace Dickerson Higher Education for All program, an essential component of the organization’s wraparound services which, in addition to academic support, provide transitional housing through 19 on-site units, case management, basic needs and resources, and financial literacy workshops. These programs ensure that 72 vulnerable DC families have access to stable housing and employment training as their children build the academic foundation necessary to improve their futures.  

To check out the grantees from the first and second rounds of the Foot Locker Foundation Community Empowerment Program, click here.