Our Vision
To be a forward thinking, financially solid and self-sustaining organization that dramatically impacts the lives of teenagers, allowing each and every young teen to pursue their dreams and aspirations regardless of their economic situation. We strive to help young people in need… succeed!
Our Mission
Our mission is to build a bridge between young teens who are in need of educational and financial assistance and those people that can provide these resources. In doing so, we strive to make lasting improvements in the lives of young people and the society in which they live.
The Need
Every year low income teens who should be concentrating on academics and enjoying extracurricular activities are instead worrying about where their next meal is coming from or whether or not they will have a roof over their head.
Every month inner city teens are choosing the street over pursuing a sport or hobby, primarily because of a lack of financial resources.
Every week children are dislocated from one or more of their parents and are in need of a helping hand in order to continue to pursue a specific interest in a sport, the arts or academics.
Every day kids everywhere are looking for a “hand up” in lieu of a “hand out.”
What We Do…Child Sponsorship
As our Mission describes we build bridges between those that have and those that need. The primary program we provide is A Bridge for Kids Teen Sponsorship. We believe that by sponsoring a child you help bring long-term changes to a child’s life and their community. What makes our organization unique is that we recognize that each child has different needs and dreams and just as no two children are exactly the same, neither are our Sponsorships. We tailor the program to the individual and provide resources for everything from the basic necessities like school supplies and clothing to athletic equipment for the aspiring athlete. Our goal is to take dreams and make them reality.
Our Approach
- We actively identify people who would like to impact the lives of teenagers in need.
- We find young teens who aspire to advance their lives but are handicapped by a lack of financial resources.
- We bring together the sponsor and recipient, ensure all resources are being used wisely and oversee each relationship to a successful conclusion.
- We individually review each case and strive to make the next one even better.
Developmental Programs
ABFK offers our sponsored teens several programs that help them reach their potential and achieve their dreams. Sponsored teens are provided, free of charge, programs that will help “level the playing field” as they prepare for the college application process, namely college campus tours, tutoring, and SAT/ACT Preparatory Programs.
ABFK offers college campus tours, east and west coast, for teens who would not otherwise be able to afford visiting campuses. This not only allows them to see what different colleges offer, but allows them to assess the right campus for them.
Tutoring is offered to teens who find that they are struggling in one or two classes. ABFK recognizes the importance of a strong GPA and offers this program to students with the goal of helping them maintain and/or obtain a competitive GPA.
SAT/ACT Preparatory Courses are shown to help students improve their performance on these college entrance exams, and many financially able students enroll in these programs. ABFK wants our teens who have strong GPA’s to be competitive with their peers when taking these exams. Therefore, we provide our teens with the opportunity to take a SAT/ACT preparatory class.