Great Oak Will Use $10,000 Cumberland Community Foundation Grant To Assist With Capacity Building

Great Oak currently relies on donations from the community and an all-volunteer staff to conduct its programs. The purpose of the Cumberland Community Foundation grant is to assist Great Oak with capacity-building by providing funding to seed the hir

Fayetteville, NC (I-Newswire) January 30, 2013 - Great Oak Youth Development Centers, Inc is a Fayetteville North Carolina non-profit that works with at-risk youth by providing foundation building programs aimed at increasing the odds of success and achievement. The organization conducts several programs including the One-on-One mentoring Program, Men and Boys Unity, Reading Buddies, Effective Parenting, and Leadership and Entrepreneur Development. These programs are designed to work together in a holistic fashion to promote self-esteem, confidence and positive direction.

Great Oak was established in 2006 and has experienced impressive growth. Great Oak is recognized as a resource for schools and other youth-service organizations for the referral of boys who may benefit from its varied programs. According Executive Director, Bobby Washington, “Great Oak has placed a premium on establishing quality programs and incorporates best practices like those prescribed by The National Mentoring Organization.”

Great Oak currently relies on donations from the community and an all-volunteer staff to conduct its programs. The purpose of the Cumberland Community Foundation grant is to assist Great Oak with capacity-building by providing funding to seed the hiring of a Great Oak development professional. Great Oak has developed plans that will integrate this position into its existing organization promotion and developmental efforts. A goal of the organization is the eventual compensation of staff, thereby reducing Great Oak’s reliance on a 100% volunteer work basis.

Cumberland Community Foundation currently supports Great Oak on other initiatives such as the Leadership and Entrepreneurs Development Program. We are very pleased that CCF has stepped up again to assist Great Oak on its path to sustainability and the assurance that Great Oak services continue to be available to the area’s at-risk youth.

For more information about Great Oak Youth Development Centers, call (910)-822-2226 or email us at greatoakydc@earthlink.net.