REBUILDING COMMUNITIES FROM WITHIN COMMUNITIES: THE UNITED BLACK FAMILY SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION’S MISSION, GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

The seed of a bonsai tree has the potential to grow into a full size tree. But, planted in a tiny pot, its growth is stunted. A person deprived of education or opportunity is like a bonsai….            

–Muhammad Yunus

Without question, the greatest asset within disadvantaged communities is the people themselves. They are the most vested and determined to create solutions to solve the social and economic problems they face. Yet, they are socially isolated and limited in experience and resource enough to effectively challenge the problems they face. Thus the primary mission of the United Black Family Scholarship Foundation is to cultivate a culture of higher learning and community resource development through its Scholarship, Volunteer Sign-Up, and Community Reinvestment Programs.

In order to translate the mission of the United Black Family Scholarship Foundation into a communal force aimed at progress in all spheres of human endeavor, we have set forth the following goals and objectives:

OBJECTIVES:

¤ Provide community organizing initiatives which cultivate a culture of higher learning and community resource development through the organization’s programs;

¤ To assist people in disadvantaged communities to cultivate the necessary human and social capital to maintain their social and economic needs;

¤ Strengthen business connections and commitments to disadvantaged communities.

¤ Tackle the problems of housing development, home ownership opportunities and foreclosure within disadvantaged communities;

¤ Reconstruct value systems; provide positive models of success; and esteem builders within disadvantaged communities.

GOALS:

¤ Implement the Scholarship & Community Grant, Volunteer Sign-Up, and Community Investment Programs over the course of the next 24 to 60 months. These programs will greatly assist the organization in achieving its goals to build human and social capital within disadvantaged communities;

¤ Demonstrate through the organization’s programs the impact of collective action within disadvantaged communities to solve their social and economic and problems;

¤ Demonstrate  through the organizational structure an institution created and controlled by men and women vested in the social and economic prosperity of their community.