Our impact
We serve over 3000 students in 45 program sites in 19 cities throughout the United States. Our prescription is to prevent so we don’t have to cure later in life. Our program meets kids at a critical time and empowers them to make healthy choices for a better future; or, as JKL student, Yordis, puts it, “This is a program where kids can come to get away from their problems and have a chance in life that many do not get.” It’s powerful medicine that holds the capacity to change the course of a life.
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Program Results
We serve over 3000 students in 45 schools/sites in Alabama (Huntsville) California (Los Angeles and San Diego), Georgia (Dublin), Louisiana (New Orleans), New York (Brooklyn, the Bronx), North Carolina (Charlotte), Ohio (Cleveland), Tennessee (Nashville), Texas (Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth, Longview, Houston, Uvalde), Illinois (Chicago) and Washington, D.C.
We’re proud to say that our program is working and our results speak for themselves!
Since joining the just keep livin program…
75%
Attendance
of jkl students improved their attendance
81%
Nutrition
of jkl students make healthier choices
96%
Fitness
of jkl students get more exercise
98%
Gratitude
saw an increase in the amount of gratitude shown in their daily lives
82%
Community Service
participated in more community service events
93%
Self-Esteem
have more confidence
100%
Retention
of jkl students stay in school
100%
Graduation
of 12th grade jkl students graduate (*Note: many of the schools we serve have a 50% drop out rate)
99%
Behavior
of jkl students improved their behavior
96% of jkl students
are getting more
exercise
are getting more
exercise
5k races: 281
1/2 Marathons: 77
1/2 Marathons: 77
95% of jkl students
are drinking more
water
are drinking more
water
9 of 10 kids reading
labels more often
labels more often
partnership and participation
Having an impact is all about partnership and participation. We currently serve over 3,000 students at 45 programs located in Alabama, California, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas and Washington D.C.
Achieving success on each of these campuses requires collaboration. We work with other nonprofit organizations, such as local chapters of Boys and Girls Clubs and Woodcraft Rangers, to act as our fiscal agents and help with administration. We work with these organizations to oversee budgets, ensure compliance with local, state and federal laws, provide insurance coverage, and administer payroll. Together we hire individuals with experience and a high degree of enthusiasm. This is a critical process. As Matthew says, we must find the “talent on the ground” to run a successful program.
We have also joined forces with other nonprofit organizations, private individual and family foundations and corporate brands who help fund our programs and who maintain involvement with their sponsored schools. Our goal is to increase our ability to serve more kids each year while delivering value to our supporters by increasing their visibility and aligning themselves with the trusted and respected just keep livin brand.
Achieving success on each of these campuses requires collaboration. We work with other nonprofit organizations, such as local chapters of Boys and Girls Clubs and Woodcraft Rangers, to act as our fiscal agents and help with administration. We work with these organizations to oversee budgets, ensure compliance with local, state and federal laws, provide insurance coverage, and administer payroll. Together we hire individuals with experience and a high degree of enthusiasm. This is a critical process. As Matthew says, we must find the “talent on the ground” to run a successful program.
We have also joined forces with other nonprofit organizations, private individual and family foundations and corporate brands who help fund our programs and who maintain involvement with their sponsored schools. Our goal is to increase our ability to serve more kids each year while delivering value to our supporters by increasing their visibility and aligning themselves with the trusted and respected just keep livin brand.
sponsors
Our current program sponsors are:
Student Testimonials
Student Testimonials
“Through the JKL program, I met a group of leaders who have become my support system. just keep livin is a place where bonds can be established and as the years go by, the fact that gratitude has played such a big part in our lives has shaped us into the people we will become.”
Alyssa
Student Testimonials
“During JKL, I would remind myself of my goal to cherish my two hours away from home. During an emotionally tumultuous time, I was able to escape. just keep livin is and will always be my home away from home and I am eternally grateful for it.”
Maggie
Student Testimonials
“Since joining the program I have started being more involved at the school and I am playing sports now as I am more confident than I was before. I recently joined the track team and gained the confidence to try out because of jkl. I would tell anyone who is looking for a group that will help give you confidence in yourself, they need to join just keep livin.”
Renzell
Student Testimonials
“jkl taught me what I was missing – the importance of eating right, setting and achieving personal goals, and experiencing the world outside of Southeast DC.”
Earl
Student Testimonials
“just keep livin inspired me to give back to my community, so I’ve begun to volunteer at animal shelters and donate blood. My parents are thrilled with the transformation I’ve had. The program encourages us to set goals for ourselves and to reach for those goals. Although others might disagree, no dream is too big or small at just keep livin.”
Jackie
Student Testimonials
“I was saved by just keep livin. I thought I was lost and was scared of what would happen. I got away thanks to Ms. Colasanti and Ms. Willis keeping me involved in jkl. I was able to become a better person, a man, and the caring person that I am today. The most important thing was that I was able to forget all the problems that I had for a few hours while with jkl. Because of it, I survived. Now I love the activities we do, from dancing, to our gratitude circle, to yoga and smoothies, and learning something new every day. I was able to improve my grades. jkl helps me make each day be a good one, even when negative things happen. This is the type of encouragement I need to keep going every day. jkl is the best thing EVER. This is a program were kids can come to get away from their problems and have a chance in life that many do not get.”
Yordis
Student Testimonials
“just keep livin has given me a platform where I am able to grow as a person. Thanks to jkl I was able to break out of my shell and apply myself not only at school but in my community. Thanks to this program I understood the true meaning of gratitude.. Thanks to jkl I have made the absolute best effort to give back and appreciate everything in my life. jkl has given me so many opportunities! For example, when they took us to an event that the kindness campaign hosted where they introduced me to the ‘magic mirror’ – a mirror where I was able to see my reflection and as I saw myself I was able to hear the words ‘I am enough.’ After that day I was able to wake up every morning and repeat those words without hesitation. Just keep Livin gave me hope that everything will be okay in my life because I have a support system.”
Miriam
Schools We Serve
- Lee High School
Huntsville, AL
- Animo Inglewood Charter High School
- Animo South LA High School
- Animo City of Champions
- Fairfax High School
- Fremont High School
- Hamilton High School
- Heart of Los Angeles (HOLA)
- Huntington Park High School
- Manual Arts High School
- SouthEast High School
- Russell Westbrook Why Not Charter High School
- Venice High School
- West Adams High School
Los Angeles, CA
- Morse High School
San Diego, CA
- Eleanor McCain Secondary School
- LB Landry High School
- Warren Easton Charter High School
New Orleans, LA
- East Laurens High School
Dublin, GA
- Northtown Academy
- Ralph Ellison High School
Chicago, IL
- Glenville High School
- John Adams High School
Cleveland, OH
- Akins High School
- East Austin College Prep
- Juan Navarro High School
- Crockett High School
Austin, TX
- Pinkston High School
- Sunset High School
Dallas, TX
- Carver High School
- Cesar Chavez High School
Houston, TX
- Eastern Hills
Fort Worth
- Sam Houston High School
Arlington
- Longview High School
Longview, TX
- Anacostia High School
- Ballou High School
- Roosevelt High School
Washington D.C.
- Hillwood High School
- KIPP Collegiate High School
- Maplewood High School
- Stratford High School
Nashville, TN
- Brooklyn School for Social Justice
- High School for Innovation in Advertising and Media
New York, NY
- West Charlotte High School
Charlotte, N.C.
- North Crowley High School
North Crowley, TX
- Uvalde High School
Uvalde, TX
Demographics
Facts on the schools in the program:
- We serve inner-city schools that qualify for Title 1 funding [meaning the Department of Education provides supplemental financial backing to meet the needs of at-risk and low-income students.]
- 83 % of students at our schools are eligible for free or reduced lunch based on their families’ incomes and Federal Poverty Guidelines [To qualify for free lunch, a family of 4 must subsist on an annual income of less than $26,200.]
- Enrollment varies at the schools we serve, but averages more than 1,403 students per campus. In our larger schools (which enroll up to 3,499 students) it’s easy to get lost in the crowd, while our smaller schools (one of which enrolls just 260 students) often lack extracurricular opportunities.
