Blog Post: "Pleased to meet you, hope you guess my name"

As a newly partnered organization with Jobing.com and an emerging non-profit, I wouldn't be surprised if you've never heard of Success4Kids. However, you would be foolish to think this is the last time you'll see the name.

My name is Rachel Fleming and I am the activities coordinator for Success4Kids. I have been with the organization for 2 months, taking on administrative, fund raising, event planning, and promotional duties. Though my plate has been full, I have been able to bring the organization into a brighter spot light, which will hopefully lead to you mentioning S4K during your next conversation about non-profits.

Let me give you a brief overview of what Success4Kids does. The organization was founded in 2001 by Phoenix area business people who shared a passion for helping youth from disadvantaged communities and who were also skilled handball players. Our mission is to give at-risk kids a reason and a structure in which to pursue positive life paths. Success4Kids provides opportunities for at-risk youth in the Phoenix metro area to make healthy life choices and to learn to excel.

So how do we do it? We use the game of handball as a vehicle to reach out to at-risk youth. Handball is considered by proponents to be The Perfect Game. It develops cardiovascular endurance, speed, agility, balance, flexibility, hand-eye coordination and strength. You might be wondering where we find kids who are interested in this sport... They are everywhere. Handball is one of the most popular sports for kids in Phoenix's disadvantaged communities because equipment is cheap, courts are readily available, and it's fun. These kids see it as a gateway to a better life.

I was talking recently with one of our kids (on an early Sunday morning, the second day in a row he had been practicing at the courts) about why he was so dedicated to the sport of handball. He told me "I want to become pro, like the guys down in Tucson." "They get to travel, and they get free gear!" Tucson is a handball hot spot, as well as the national headquarters for the United States Handball Association, a dedicated partner to S4K.

One of the most important aspects of our program is its cyclical nature. The coaches of our handball clubs are alumni of Success4Kids. Not only do these graduates serve as handball coaches, but as mentors as well. This allows the kids in our program to see the success others have had through Success4Kids and the game of handball, and it inspires them. These kids then go on to graduate from high school, enroll in college, and find jobs. Some of them then return to Success4Kids as coaches to start the cycle all over again.

If you would like to learn more about Success4Kids and our programs, please visit our Web site at www.success4kids.org

I'll be back next week with more updates on Success4Kids.