Creating Their Destiny: Mission & Ministry Grantee Teaches Young Black Girls Life Skills

Each year, the National Benevolent Association invites congregations and ministries to apply for a Mission & Ministry Grant. These grants are reserved specifically for projects that will impact older adults as well as historically excluded youth and young adults. Below is a story from a grantee who received funds for their work at the end of 2021 and has been running their program continually since. 

Living Your Destiny Mentoring Ministry was created to mentor, educate, and encourage young women while creating an environment of trust where they can open their minds to new experiences and opportunities.  

Starting in the fall of 2021, Living Your Destiny partnered with Greater Fort Worth Area Youth Club to mentor seven Black teenagers for nine months. The mentees met monthly to learn and discuss topics that were most pressing to their lives including workshops about financial literacy, navigating feelings of anxiety, personal hygiene, and how to handle encounters with police. There were even sessions where parents and caretakers were encouraged to join to help them better communicate with their daughters.   

Each month, program sponsor Rochelle Harden sourced experts from the Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas community to speak to the group of teenagers. Harden also ensured guest speakers came from diverse backgrounds, just like the young women in the mentorship program. 

As the first round of this program came to an end, the ministry was able to use some of its granting funds to purchase Chrome laptops and provide scholarships for books and other collegiate needs for graduating seniors. At the end of the nine months, the program hosted a closeout luncheon for the mentees to share what they learned with loved ones and celebrate their next chapters.  

Are you interested in receiving grant funds for your health and social service project? Consider applying for a Mission & Ministry Grant here.