| Name | Kenneth |
|---|---|
| Last Name | Joshen Jr |
| Home Address | 4143 Forest Acres Lane Chattanooga, TN 37406 United States |
| Organization Name | You Are Unique Foundation "URU" |
| Describe Your Role In The Organization | Kenneth Joshen, Jr. – Chattanooga native, President and Chairman |
| Organization Address | 4143 Forest Acres Lane Chattanooga, TN 37406 United States |
| Website | https://www.echelonsportsi.com/foundation/ |
| Best Phone Number To Reach You | 423-617-8114 |
| Alternate Phone Number | 423-617-8114 |
| Email Address | kjoshen@gmail.com |
| Alternate Email Address | kjoshen@yahoo.com |
| Please Describe Your Project In Detail | The You Are Unique Foundation (“URU”) is a 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Organization was established two (2) years ago. URU was formed to bring to life the vision and dream of Chattanooga native, and Echelon Sports President, Kenneth Joshen, Jr. In seeking to create opportunities for children and young adults in impoverished minority communities, the URU Foundation’s primary mission is to arm children with the skills needed to rise above their current situations. Any funds allocated to the URU Foundation will be invested 100% in the City of Chattanooga and used to benefit its youth. Too many children and young adults have been negatively impacted by violence and lack of education in our Chattanooga community. Additionally, the impact of COVID-19 and the resulting isolation has created a youth mental health crisis as never seen before. Through our efforts as a charitable, community outreach program, our goal is to bring to life a program that will have a lasting, positive impact. Our outreach projects include, but are not limited to: Youth and young adult football, basketball, baseball, soccer, softball, and volleyball leagues: Year round after school educational and recreational programs; Mentorship programs; The Colton Dotley Memorial Scholarship will provide an annual award to a deserving student or students who have demonstrated outstanding athletic and academic achievement; Sports Camps and Clinics; Field-trips to sporting events, movies, educational trips, museums; Tutoring; Mental Health awareness; Community service projects; and Monthly awards for individuals with exemplary attendance and behavior. The network of volunteer mentors assembled at URU - each coming from a diverse perspective and background - advances the Foundation’s mission of teaching kids the importance of education as the most powerful tool of empowerment and self-sufficiency. URU strives to create responsible public citizens; and stresses the importance of kids maintaining a positive self-image, learning about self-care, and being aware of their mental health – all in an effort to avoid depressive and self-destructive cycles. URU’s unique curriculum is designed to directly support and bolster our mission of addressing Chattanooga’s community needs. Our objectives include: - Reduce youth violence; - Stress the importance of participation in sports as a mechanism to learn teamwork, self-respect, and self-discipline and accountability; - Emphasis on hard work in the classroom, on the playing field, and in all aspects of life; - Encouragement of civic responsibility. The total projected cost to implement our long and short term project goals is $800,000-$1,000,000. Your investment of $50,000 would allow us to reach our funding needs and bring our project to Chattanooga in 2022. -Goals and Objectives- Goal #1: To increase youth participation in sports as an alternative to engaging in street life. Target Objective: Physical exercise is good for the mind, body, and spirit. Team sports helps teach adolescents accountability, dedication, leadership, and other skills. According to the University of Missouri Health Care, when youth participate in sports, many athletes do better academically. Sports require memorization, repetition and learning — skillsets that are directly relevant to class work. Also, the determination and goal-setting skills a sport requires can be transferred to the classroom. Participation in sports teaches teamwork and problem-solving skills. Fighting for a common goal with a group of players and coaches teaches you how to build teamwork and effectively communicate to solve problems. This experience is helpful when encountering problems at work or at home. The physical health benefits are present as well. Data show in addition to maintaining a healthy weight, participation in sports also encourages healthy decision-making. Sports also have known health benefits such as lowering the chance of heart disease, obesity, osteoporosis, and breast cancer later in life. Lastly, participation in sports boosts self-esteem, reduces stress, and fights depression. Achieving a sport or fitness goal encourages youth to achieve other goals they set. This is a rewarding and exciting learning process. Exercising is a natural way to loosen up and let go of stress. Youth can also make new friends who can be there for them as a support system. Goal #2: Decrease the rate of youth detention and dropout rates, while acknowledging these are major components of youth violence, which afflicts our community. Target Objective: Incentivize youth participation through the use of awards to recognize attendees who demonstrate exceptional attendance, leadership, and participation. This will raise awareness of consequences of poor decision making. Training and resources to connect individuals with crucial identified resources in the community. Goal #3: Raise the school attendance and graduation rate. Target Objective: Mentorship program, tutors, after school program, classroom checkups. Goal #4: Develop responsible well-rounded citizens. Target Objective: Community service projects, volunteer activities, visit the elderly. Goal #5: Raise mental health awareness Target Objective: Provide attendees with lists of available services and contact information within the community. -Team Volunteers- To reach our goals and objectives, we have assembled the following committees and have commitment from the following individuals: Community Outreach Kenneth Joshen, Jr. – Coordinator and Chattanooga native Jamichael Caldwell – Assistant and Chattanooga native Durval Queiroz – Assistant and NFL Player Mental Health Education/Stress Management Marybeth Parrilla, Esq. – Coordinator and Former NAMI Board Member Tavien Feaster – Assistant and NFL Player Sports as an Alternative to Street Life Jamichael Caldwell – Coordinator and Chattanooga native Keelyn Craddock – Assistant and Chattanooga native Education as a Means to Self-Sufficiency Kenneth Joshen, Jr. – Co-Coordinator and Chattanooga native Marybeth Parrilla, Esq. – Co-Coordinator and URU Board Member Character Development / Mentorship Nathan Carter – Coordinator and Chattanooga native Kenneth Worthen Sr. – Assistant and Chattanooga native Scholarship Selection – Colton Dotley Memorial Scholarship Fund Sandra Pollard – Coordinator and Chattanooga native Kenneth Joshen, Jr. – Assistant and Chattanooga native Measuring the success of the Nonprofit Organization Programming Project The first outreach event will engage at least 600 attendees. The second will engage roughly 60. We anticipate the engagement rate will grow by at least 5-10% over the course of the program’s first year. 50% of attendees will complete a survey about their experience. The goal is to have at least 75% favorably to the program and outreach efforts. We will host monthly meetings during the planning and post event stages between to evaluate engagement data and concerns. From these results, we will know what improvements or corrections that need to be made for future events, and how we can grow the URU Program and to better serve the needs of the community. Events Budget May 14th Football Camp Finley Stadium May 14th Guest travel $1,750 (5) NFL Guest Volunteers (NFL Guest) Lodging $1,000 (NFL Guest) Meals $1,000 Volunteer Hospitality Meals $1,000 May 14th Cleaning Crew $1,000 5hrs May 14th DJ (Music) $500 Security (2) officers $1,000 Safety Ambulance $1,000 Equipment May14thEvent Shirts (700) $7,100 (Including shipping) May 14th Finley Rental $3,150 May 14th Event Insurance $500 May 14thMarketing Material $1,000 (Advertising) May 14th Field Equipment $1,500 May 14th Inflatable $2,000 May 14th Food and Drinks $5000 Subtotal $33,000 July 21st NFL Training Camp Visit July 21st NFL Training Camp Bus Rental $2000 (50 kids) ATL/Nashville (Attendees) July 21st Training Camp $900 T-shirts (80) including shipping July 21st Meals (50 kids) $2,500 (10 Adults) Bag lunch/Dinner July 21st Snacks & Drinks $500 Subtotal $5,900 Annual Scholarship 2022 Colton Dotley $5,000each Scholarships (x2) Subtotal $10,000 Events Total: $49,400 |
| Please explain how your project meets the requirements of the American Rescue Plan | Thank you for the opportunity to be considered for support by “One Chattanooga Relief and Recovery”. The URU Foundation holds an equal commitment to provide a pathway for the youth of Chattanooga to advance their educational opportunities, develop a positive sense of self, and bring about positive change to help end the violence in our community. We have developed a unique program through mentorship, sports, and education to assist Chattanooga’s youth in doing so. And it is our sincere hope that you will give our proposal the utmost consideration. In the two short years since its founding, the You Are Unique Foundation (“URU”) has played a major role in transforming national and international communities to improve the lives of youth who may have been written off as unproductive, unsupervised kids with too much time on their hands. Many of these youth, without proper direction, get into trouble. The mission of the URU Foundation is to provide these youth with a valuable structured program. Our program utilizes URU’s unique Curriculum to empower young people by providing opportunities for children and young adults in impoverished minority communities with a life skills program that promotes positive values, healthy habits, and education as a powerful tool of empowerment and self-sufficiency – resulting in real life power, on and off the playing field. The URU Foundation has identified two specific project-oriented goals. The immediate, short-term goal is to host two (2) community events designed to give back to the community. We have partnered with Finley Stadium to host an event, with a target goal of reaching 600 children. This event will allow for both the community and its’ youth to become familiar with the opportunities the URU Foundation can provide. The first event is planned for May 14, 2022. We plan on hosting another event later in the Fall. Our long-term vision is to construct the URU Sports and Wellness Facility in City limits. This facility would offer both year-round and after-school programs. Long-term, we would use any awarded funds to obtain real estate title, grade and prepare the site for construction of the facility, install fencing and lighting, purchase curriculum-related supplies, and hire part-time program staff. In the past, we have primarily relied on volunteer or minimally compensated staff and we believe the ability to hire people, even on a part-time basis, will be valuable to the community and align with our message of self-sufficiency. We are requesting $50,000 from the “One Chattanooga Relief and Recovery” fund to support this program that will allow us to make a meaningful difference in the lives of Chattanooga’s youth. A contribution from “One Chattanooga Relief and Recovery” fund will give us the jumpstart we need to allow us to continue to implement our fundraising plan. We believe that the URU Foundation’s program is consistent with the mission and interest of One Chattanooga Relief and Recovery Plan. It is our sincere hope that you will find it in your hearts and budget to support this important endeavor. |
| Where would your project take place? | The project will take place in Chattanooga, TN. |
| How much will your project cost in total? | 100000 |
| Do you have any matching funding sources from other local governments, private entities, non-profits, or philanthropic entities for your project? | No |
| Please describe the source and list amounts of any other funding. | |
| What portion of the project are you asking the city to fund? | |
| If funded, when would your project start? | May 14, 2022 |
| How long would your project take to complete? | The overall project is perpetual with the idea of having a lasting footprint in the community. |
| What milestones would you use to measure your project’s progress? | Increase in Youth participation in community based sports Increase in Youth participation in school related sports Increase in academic eligibility to participate in sports. We would insure this measured success by working closely with youth and school coaches. |
| How would you ensure accountability and transparency throughout the project lifecycle? | The URU Foundation's board members hold professional licenses that demand adherence to the highest ethical standards. One member is a Licensed South Carolina Attorney and the other being a Licensed National Football League Contract Advisor. |
| If successful, how would your project benefit the community? | Our project is designed to fill playing fields not prisons. By keeping the youth engaged and incentivizing their continued participation in the program, they will have access to experienced youth mentors, who have overcome adversity and learned positive coping mechanisms to deal with conflict. |
| How will you attract community buy-in for your project? | The access to Nation Football League and other Professional Sports figures will influence and engage the community to participate. By volunteering their time and utilizing their celebrity, these athletes can connect with the youth on an influential level and convey a message positivity and hope. |
| Name | Kenneth Joshen Jr |
| Contact Information | 423-617-8114 |
| Is there anything else you would like us to know about your project? | We have two immediate events within the next 6 months, we would like the funding to plan for additional events. |