THE DMV PROJECT

Violence. Peer pressure. Mental health struggles. Financial insecurity.
In recent surveys, youth from the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia (collectively, the DMV area) identified these as their greatest concerns.

Across the DMV, the "after-school hours" have become a time of danger rather than development.

• The Vanishing Safe Space: Over the last years, budget cuts have shuttered dozens of recreation centers and stripped schools of their enrichment programs. In the DMV alone, nearly 3 in 5 children do not have access to an after-school spot.

• The Streets Don’t Have a Waitlist: When schools lock their doors at 3:00 PM and community centers are dark, our youth are left with nowhere to go. This "empty time" is where violence, peer pressure, and emotional distress take root.

• A Fragile Future: We are asking our teens to resist "harmful influences" while simultaneously taking away every positive outlet they have to build a life.

Our Solution: The DMV Project

Closing the Gap. Opening New Doors.

The Co-Op Project isn’t just adding a program; we are rebuilding the infrastructure of support. We provide the safe harbor that budget cuts took away.

The Three Programs of Our Response:

• [Project Mindset] | Mentorship: While centers close, we open minds. We teach the emotional and positive mindsets  needed to navigate a world that often feels stacked against them.

• [Project Launchpad] | Entrepreneurship: We replace "nowhere to go" with a "business to run." By teaching entrepreneurship through T-shirt design and marketing, we give students a tangible path to financial independence.

• [Creative Change] | Art & Advocacy We use the arts to process the trauma of the streets. Through storytelling and media, students turn their "tough topics" into a public showcase of leadership and advocacy.

Why Your Investment is Urgent

We are raising $10,000 per location to keep the lights on and the doors open. When you donate, you aren't just funding a "class"—you are providing:

1. A Physical Sanctuary: 4 months of guaranteed safe space in Baltimore, Prince Georges County, D.C and Alexandria.

2. Professional Guardianship: Expert mentors and instructors who fill the gap left by missing school counselors and coaches.

3. Real-World Stability: Meals, travel, and materials that remove the barriers to participation for underserved youth.

The choice is simple:

We can invest in our youth today, or pay the price of their displacement tomorrow.

ACT NOW: Donate today.