Foundation For Black Philanthropy, an affiliate of Foundation for the Carolinas, recently awarded its annual grants to five local nonprofits working to improve lives across Charlotte and Mecklenburg County. The funding will support programs focused on education, youth development, family stability, violence prevention, maternal health and economic mobility.

Rooted in the legacies of the Lethia Henderson Fund Endowment, established in 1981, and the Elizabeth S. Randolph African American Fund Endowment, established in 1993, FFBP has long invested in organizations working to strengthen and uplift Black communities throughout the region.

This year’s grantees include S.T.A.R.S. Math & English Academy, Youth Development Initiatives, Mothers of Murdered Offspring, StriveCLT and Mind Body Baby. Together, they reflect FFBP’s ongoing commitment to supporting community-led solutions that create opportunity, foster resilience and help Charlotte-Mecklenburg residents thrive.

S.T.A.R.S. Math & English Academy: Building Strong Academic Foundations

For more than two decades, S.T.A.R.S. Math & English Academy has provided free academic support and enrichment opportunities for students in grades 3 through 12.

Founded by educator Elijah Watson, S.T.A.R.S. grew from a simple desire to ensure more children had access to the kind of academic support that helped shape his own success.

“As a child, I participated in several academic enrichment programs that gave me a strong foundation,” Watson said. “I wanted to create something that would provide those same opportunities for students who might not otherwise have access to them.”

Today, the organization offers a Saturday Academy, End-of-Grade Boot Camp, summer programming, and parent workshops that combine academic instruction with mentorship and soft skills development.

One of Watson’s favorite measures of success is seeing former students return to inspire the next generation. Several alumni who entered the program in elementary school have come back as guest speakers, sharing stories of success in high school and college.

“It’s full circle now,” Watson said. “We’re seeing students who grew up in S.T.A.R.S. come back and pour into younger students.”

FFBP funding will help support the organization’s End-of-Grade Boot Camp, covering teacher contracts, facility expenses and curriculum enhancements that help keep instruction relevant and effective.

Looking ahead, S.T.A.R.S. hopes to replicate its successful model in additional communities and expand partnerships with organizations seeking to incorporate academic programming into their existing services.

“We’re not trying to be the biggest,” Watson said. “We just want to help as many students as possible and share what works.”

Youth Development Initiatives: Guiding Students Toward Their Future

Youth Development Initiatives was created to fill a gap founder and President & CEO Darryl Bego saw firsthand as both an educator and career advisor.

Growing up in public housing in Springfield, Ohio, Bego understood how a lack of guidance and opportunity could limit a young person’s future.

“There were a lot of good kids who simply didn’t have the advisement or opportunities they needed,” he said. “YDI is both a reflection back to the under resourced youth from my past and a projection forward to the teens now who can make a positive future for themselves with personal guidance, planning, and mentoring support.”

After working with guidance offices as a career advisor at several Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools high schools, Bego saw many students facing similar challenges. While families deeply wanted their children to succeed, many parents had not attended college themselves and were navigating unfamiliar territory when it came to helping their children plan for life after high school.

“A parent can’t show a child how to get somewhere they’ve never been,” Bego said.

He founded YDI to help fill that guidance gap, providing mentorship, life skills training, career planning and academic support, particularly for older underserved youth who often have fewer structured afterschool opportunities. Through those services, YDI helps students develop the self-confidence and real-world skills competencies while providing the caring adult support systems needed to break cycles of poverty and successfully transition from adolescence to adulthood.

One success story that continues to inspire Bego is a participant who entered one of YDI’s early programs with a GPA below 2.0 and limited support outside school. Through hands-on life skills and workforce development training coupled with intentional mentorship and career guidance, he improved academically, earned a football scholarship, completed his bachelor’s and master’s degrees and now serves his community in western North Carolina.

“He became the architect of his own future and built the career and lifestyle he imagined,” Bego said.

The FFBP grant will allow YDI to provide summer stipends for five student participants and hire a part-time certified teacher to offer mentoring and advisement during the summer months.

Over the next five years, YDI hopes to serve as many as 2,000 students through a comprehensive collaborative continuum that supports youth from high school through their first year after graduation.

“We’re trying to fill the guidance gap,” Bego said. “When students know better, they can do better.”

Mothers of Murdered Offspring: Supporting Families Through Unimaginable Loss

For 33 years, Mothers of Murdered Offspring (MOM-O) has supported families navigating the devastating aftermath of murder.

Founded in 1993 after the murders of 11 young Black women, the organization provides grief and family support, court advocacy, programs for women, men and children, family activities, and violence prevention and community outreach.

“When someone loses a loved one to murder, it’s a different type of grief and trauma,” said Executive Director Lisa Crawford. “Having a community of people who understand that journey is incredibly important.”

MOM-O supports families for the long journey that follows a murder, including helping them navigate the criminal justice system. Staff and trained volunteers accompany family members to court proceedings and help them understand what to expect as their loved one’s case moves through the justice system. Families also stay connected through programs, personal outreach and opportunities to gather throughout the year.

One of the organization’s success stories comes from a participant who lost her younger brother to murder in her youth and later experienced another devastating loss when her father was murdered.

“We’ve been there with her every step of the way,” Crawford said. “Today, she’s volunteering and helping other families. That’s what this community is: survivors helping survivors. Many of the people we serve find themselves reaching back to help the next family.”

Funding from the Foundation For Black Philanthropy will help MOM-O sustain its programs, provide therapeutic resources and create opportunities for families to gather and belong. This is particularly important during the holiday season when the absence of a loved one can feel especially overwhelming.

Looking ahead, MOM-O plans to continue expanding its violence prevention efforts, particularly its work with young people, helping them understand the lasting impact violence has on themselves, families and communities.

“We will always be here for families when the unimaginable happens,” Crawford said. “And if we can help people process grief and trauma in healthier ways, and make different choices, then we have an opportunity to prevent tomorrow’s violence. That’s the goal.”

StriveCLT: Creating Opportunity Through Literacy and Family Support

StriveCLT was founded after the COVID-19 pandemic with a simple goal: help families build the skills and support systems needed to thrive.

Today, the organization serves families living in Southside Homes, a former public housing now income-based community that has often been overlooked despite its proximity to Charlotte’s rapid growth as it falls outside of Charlotte’s Corridors of Opportunity.

Executive Director Dr. Gwendolyn High launched the organization after recognizing both the educational challenges facing local children and the broader needs of entire families.

“We knew reading needed to be a big part of our work,” High said. “But we also knew families needed support in other areas, including digital literacy, financial literacy and community engagement.”

What began as a literacy initiative quickly expanded into an afterschool program serving children and their families. StriveCLT now provides academic support, mentoring, civic education and digital skills training for both youth and adults.

One of the organization’s most successful initiatives has been its digital literacy program for older adults. Through a combination of training, technology access and community partnerships, StriveCLT has helped dozens of seniors gain digital skills and access tools they need to navigate everyday life.

FFBP funding will help support the organization’s afterschool programming and provide meals for participating children after a recent move into a community-centered facility.

“Receiving this grant was like frosting on the cake,” High said. “It allows us to continue doing what we know works.”

Mind Body Baby: Supporting Families Before and After Birth

Mind Body Baby was founded on a simple but powerful belief: when parents and caregivers are supported, children have a stronger opportunity to thrive.

The Charlotte-based nonprofit provides education, community resources, mental health support and doula services for families during pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period.

Executive Director Jasmine Mix said the organization grew from founder Cynthia Wood’s personal experience navigating birth complications, isolation and the emotional challenges many new parents face.

“She recognized the need for support that addresses the whole family, especially mental health,” Mix said.

Today, Mind Body Baby offers support groups, educational resources, community navigation services and Charlotte-Mecklenburg’s only comprehensive perinatal resource directory. Its Community Doula Program specifically supports African American mothers through pregnancy, delivery and the postpartum period.

One family’s story highlights the organization’s impact. A mother expecting her second set of twins faced financial challenges, medical complications and extended NICU stays. Through Mind Body Baby’s network of community partners, the family received food assistance, housing support, advocacy services and ongoing care.

“It truly became a wraparound support system,” Mix said.

FFBP funding will directly support mental health services within the Community Doula Program, including therapy and psychiatric care for participants experiencing postpartum depression, anxiety and other perinatal mental health challenges.

“It means everything,” Mix said. “Partnerships like this allow us to provide the support families need during some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives.”

 

 

Together, these five organizations demonstrate the power of community-driven solutions. From helping students succeed in school and preparing young people for adulthood to supporting grieving families, strengthening communities and improving maternal health outcomes, FFBP’s 2026 grantees are making a meaningful difference across Charlotte-Mecklenburg every day.