ORLANDO – MAN UP Mentoring, Inc. (MAN UP) was recently awarded the Orlando Magic Youth Foundation (OMYF) microgrant in the amount of $10,000.
The OMYF microgrant will help further MAN UP’s new CEO Program. A workforce development initiative that exposes at-risk youth to various career paths, literacy tutoring, financial literacy, and the journey of entrepreneurship, while also serving as a deterrent to youth violence and criminal activity. The first year, 63% of the organization’s mentees successfully completed the pilot program demonstrating incremental gains in their reading level, knowledge of financial literacy, as well as learning 21st century career readiness and entrepreneurial skills. During the pilot program, MAN UP mentees even had the chance to meet with 12 successful African American entrepreneurs from various industries while attending an entrepreneurship forum hosted exclusively for MAN UP by Ryan Wilson, the CEO of The Gathering Spot.
The charitable arm of the Orlando Magic, the OMYF, has continued its commitment to the community since its inception in 1990. This past October, the team announced a total of $1,245,000 in grants would be distributed to Central Florida nonprofits through the OMYF in five ways this upcoming season – a summer grant cycle, a winter grant cycle, microgrants, the Linda Landman Gonzalez (LLG) Leadership Grant and the Community Enrichment Award (CEA).
“On behalf of the entire DeVos family, we are so honored to once again have OMYF provide important support to the great Orlando community,” said Orlando Magic Chairman and OMYF Chairman Dan DeVos. “Our family has always been focused on the importance of community work. We truly are honored to have the team and foundation coming alongside all of these very deserving organizations.”
This marks the 17th time the team has distributed at least $1 million to the community with the Magic granting more than $30 million over the past 35 years to local nonprofit community organizations through the OMYF.
“Creating diverse experiential learning opportunities like this is critical to the success of our mentees, it truly helps them rise to the greatness of their future,” says the sibling-duo, Chris and Samantha Wallace, founders of the community-based organization. “We thank the Orlando Magic Youth Foundation for investing in our young people and helping local communities like ours thrive.”
“Through the leadership of the DeVos family, giving back to our community in whatever way possible has always been a focal point in all that we do as an organization,” said Orlando Magic CEO Alex Martins. “One of the pillars of our organization is community, and the OMYF is one way we can continue to use our platform to improve our great city. Assisting these amazing organizations helps the foundation fulfill its commitment to underserved youth and families in Central Florida.”
In quarter three, microgrants were awarded to nine local nonprofit organizations, including MAN UP Mentoring, Inc:
- MAN UP Mentoring, Inc. (Orange) | MAN UP CEO Program – $10,000
- Back on Track Employment Services, Inc., (Osceola) | Education2Work Program – $7,500
- ArtReach Orlando (Orange) | Artists in Wonderstudio – $5,000
- Vibrant Families Incorporated (Seminole) | The Legacy Club – $5,000
- Team Kareem Memorial Foundation (Osceola) | Not One More Family Suffers – $5,000
- Poverty Solutions Group (Orange) | Circles Cent. Fl. Children and Youth Healthy Wellbeing – $2,500
- Redeeming Light Community Services, Inc. (Orange) | Keeping UP Alternative School Suspension/Mentoring Program – $5,000
- Re-Imagine Communities (Orange) | “Get Lit” – $2,500
- House of Timothy (Orange) | Residential Group Home – $2,500
