Providing inspiration, education and resources to youth, families and communities in need.
There are millions of young people who have experienced hardship and unrealized potential, but are still open to seeing bigger possibilities for their lives.
The Brian Dawkins Impact Foundation was created in 2019 with a belief in the power of transformative moments to trigger a spark in young people – young people who have the desire to make positive decisions in life and just need the tools to make it happen. A trigger that will have positive ripple effects on families and ultimately, on entire communities.
CORE VALUES
Leveraging the values and knowledge Brian gained over his lifetime, the Foundation is on a mission to help disadvantaged young people, families and communities, while also promoting spiritual, cerebral and physical wellness. With an initial focus in Jacksonville, Clemson and Philadelphia — the communities that made Brian into the person he is today – the Foundation supports those who may be impacted by hardship in their lives, but retain the drive and passion to succeed.
COMMUNICATION
As a stutterer when I was younger, I often felt paralyzed with fear of speaking, especially in public. I’ve since been blessed to work on and improve my communication skills and want to help others in this area by sharing my insights, failures, and triumphs that are all part of life’s journey.
SELF AWARENESS
I check in with me throughout the day! I have a good understanding of my strengths and weaknesses. I know Whose I am and who I am! I LOVE ME!!
DRIVE
The desire to Get Going Now!! And the Willingness to stick to it and get back up after every temporary setback.
PASSION
A great deal of the passion that I speak and live my life with comes from the pain that I’ve been blessed to grow through from past situations. My pain has been a catalyst for the passionate life I’m living!
DISCIPLINE
You are the person that consistently… Tells the truth, uses your manners, finishes what you start, gets up early to pray and meditate, says no to yourself or others that ask you to do anything that goes against who you have said you want to be.
EDUCATION
Gaining knowledge and understanding on an ongoing basis is essential if we are to maximize our gifting and see our potential realized!
ACCOUNTABILITY
I, or someone with whom I’ve shared my vision for life, has the OK to tell me when I’m falling well short of who I have said I am. With my untimely accountability being to my Lord Jesus Christ!
A.R.E.A of COntrol
A person of action – keeps your word, what you start, you finish – do your actions add value – person of good character, high integrity & accountable – actions are so loud, they can barely hear what you are saying.
Not reactive – thoughtful responses that come 100% from me. – I can take offense or leave offense – can’t control the output from others, but you can control your output – how respond to lifes Challenges matter most!
Be a pull back person, make folk have to tell you to slow down, not speed up or finish – always give more than expected – ALL IN – ALL OUT
When see my number come up on the phone, you should want to speak to me because I add & multiply things in your life, not subtract & divide
My thoughts, words and behavior are seasoned & infectious. Inviting you to experience inspiration that you have what it takes. The resolve appreciate where you are, from where you used to be & what you are blessed to have now. And the peace that comes with knowing, for everything there is a season!!
THE 4 PILLARS VIDEO
brian dawkins values program
According to the CDC, mental disorders among children are described as serious changes in the way children typically learn, behave, or handle their emotions, causing distress and problems getting through the day.
In May 2020, we launched the Brian Dawkins Values Program (BDVP) in collaboration with leading social impact education innovator EVERFI, using Brian’s core values as a framework for practical and motivational learning moduless designed to provide students with tools, information and inspiration to prioritize their mental wellness.
The first module, “Owning Your Cerebral Wellness,” is based on EVERFI’s interactive, digital Mental Wellness Basics course and is offered at no cost to schools. Through it, 8th – 10th graders can explore their own mental health, learn to identify challenges they may face, and develop concrete strategies for managing those challenges. The course also increases their awareness of available resources, empowering them with the knowledge, skills, and language necessary to identify and support a peer in need or at risk.
The need for mental health and wellness education has never been more urgent. Nearly 20% of youth live with a mental health condition and during the pandemic, 11-17 year-olds have been more likely than any other group to show symptoms of anxiety and depression. According to the American Psychological Association, only 16% of all children receive mental health assistance in school environments.
To ensure that students know that people care about their well-being and want them to succeed, the course also includes personal messages from Brian who himself went to Jacksonville’s William M. Raines high school.
In 2020 the Brian Dawkins Values Program was able to positively impact 704 students in Jacksonville, and in 2021, our reach expanded to 1000 students across Jacksonville and Philadelphia. 75% of participating students said that they now knew what they need to do to manage their emotions in a healthy way, 72% said they would be confident in finding help for their mental health needs and 76% said that they would feel confident helping someone else in need.
THE COURSE
The Science Behind Mental Wellness
Overcoming
Stigmas
Establishing Effective Coping Strategies
Seeking Help From Others & Supporting Those In Need
The hour-long program covers four topic areas through interactive scenarios, activities, and Q&A. Online lessons are accompanied by robust offline lesson plans and discussion guides to extend the concepts, skills, and strategies learned in the course. Teachers and parents also receive the tools and resources allowing them to continue to encourage and support students throughout their journey.
brian dawkins single parent families program
Philadelphia suffers higher rates of unemployment, poverty and violence, and lower literacy rates than equally sized U.S. municipalities. According to the 2020 census, 54% of Philadelphia households are led by single parents and 27% of city’s children live in poverty.
Launched in early 2022, the Brian Dawkins Single Parent Families Program is the Foundation’s second initiative. It provides low-income single parents in Philadelphia (additional cities to come) with nominal grants to support them in accessing further enrichment opportunities for their children. Whether academic, athletic, artistic, vocational, related to mental well being or in support of future education or employment prospects, the goal is to help them provide additional resources that might otherwise be out of reach and to break free of generational cycles of immobility and poverty.
The Single Parent Families Program will be solely administered by Caring People Alliance (CPA), a Philadelphia non-profit dedicated to reducing poverty and injustice, and is made possible by a donation from the Brian Dawkins Impact Foundation.
The collaboration is based on the belief that to help a child, you must support the system in which they live. Through this program we want to provide additional resources for parents who are working hard to provide the best for their children and help them get ahead in life.
For more information, including on how you can contribute or become a program partner, please email BDIF@caringpeoplealliance.org.
Meet our first recipients and hear what they will be doing with their scholarships.
WAYS TO GET INVOLVED:
DONATE
Every dollar helps us support young people, families, and communities in need. Make a single or recurring donation today.
PARTNER
Join us on our journey! We are looking for partners who share our values, and believe in the potential of young people and communities when given the resources and opportunities they deserve. If your organization is interested in becoming a Supporting or Program Partner please contact us at info@briandawkins.com.
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