CAMARA JACKSON - Crispy Courage

Hey, guys, welcome to another episode of Eating While Broke. I'm your host, Coleen Wit and today we have very special guests. Entrepreneur founder of Elite Learners, Kamara Jackson is in the building.

Thank you so much for having me.

How are you doing today?

I'm good, excited.

Excited thk you. So, guys, we are not in a kitchen today, we are in New York, So when in Rome, eat out. So before we get into your story, which and before we get into your story, actually, why don't we start with telling us a little bit about Elite Learners.

So, Elite Learners is a five oh one c three nonprofit organization and we provide services to young people and their families. We are part of the New York City Crisis Management System, which focuses on public safety and making sure that our communities are safe for our young people.

Along with Elite Learners comes an education department that serves in New York City public schools. So we support many schools in the boroughs with mentorship programs. We do a lot of robotics and sports things that really keep young people in tuned and excited about learning in school.

What makes you, guys unique that I call. My attention to was twenty four to seven. Yes, how is that possible? So we have on call teams. We have support teams that work either at the hospital for those that may be victims of crimes, or we have our Let's Eat, which is our food program where individuals may need food.

So we have on call shifts.

And then do you guys do after school care services?

So we are in about two public schools in Brooklyn, we have one in the Bronx, so we're servicing anywhere from six hundred to eight hundred kids weekly and after school services.

Wow, this is a big feat now. And just to get into the New York schools, by the way, is really really tough. If you guys know anything about it's LAUSD and New York. They are probably one of the toughest schools to get yes up partnership. But so I'm pretty sure it was a heavy feet all right. Now, why don't we get into what are you gonna have me eating today? Because you could smell the aromas.

Yes, so we're eating fried chicken.

And it's not just fried chicken, it's from our local Chinese restaurant.

So very much a go to.

For me.

Last time I was in New York. I want to say a couple of times ago. Let's open, let's try to take a bite of this. Last time I was in New York, I think the last person I had me eat this with cipher sounds, you know, yes, yes, And when he ate it, he was like, yo, it's taking me back. He really enjoyed it, and I enjoyed it. But you know, sometimes these Chinese foo spots mess it up. But I feel like the fried chicken is.

Thet It smells good, it has the right amount of crunch, so definitely that every time.

Okhay, oh my god, it's so good. It is now just random random. I know this is your broke dish, but when was the last time you actually ate this?

So I haven't had Chinese food in probably about six or seven months.

Oh.

I have sickle cell disease, okay, and I'm really trying to work on my diet and you know, just being able to have longevity in life. So I've been watching what I eat, trying to cut back on the fry foods, more of the fruits and vegetables.

So what you eat affects the sickle cell. Yes, and for listeners that don't know about sickle sell, could you tell them a little bit about it?

Yes, So, sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disease disorder, and it affects your red blood cells. So it is the lack of oxygen moving through the body which causes your bones to form a sickle shape. And when that shape forms, when you're in that sickle moment, it's called a sickle cell crisis. But any and every joint that you can have really hurts at that moment. It's excruciating pain and it's really nothing that you can do but

Oh wow, So there's no way to actually predict it. But no, but the best thing you could do is watch diet. Yes, so you utivity.

I'm watching my diet the best that I can, right because a part of it is when you are in so much pain, it's really hard to even consume food that you would normally, you know, consume because you're just in so much pain. But watching my diet definitely trying to manage stress because it is an illness that can be brought upon when the individual is really under a

Things like that.

So it is definitely a full time job.

I would imagine though, being an entrepreneur and stress goal kind of hand and hand.

Hand in hand.

How do you, I guess, reduce your stress levels? Like, how can you do that? Because entrepreneurship is pretty much unpredictable. It's rough.

So for me, you know, one of the things that I do is communicate, right. I find that when my employees or my mentors allow me the ability to talk through a lot of my challenges. It alleviates some of my stress. So although the stress is there, but if I'm able to communicate and really just express myself, it helps me. So it doesn't feel like I'm doing this on my own and I'm, you know, relying on that

Oh gosh, Well, you've had a lifetime so far to kind of get it right. So take me back to what was going on in the Fried Chicken survival mode error. Can you take me back to that pivotal moment where when you thought about what am I gonna have on eating while broke? I think I'm gonna go with fried chicken or chicken Alfred. Oh, can you take me back to that era of time? What was going on?

Yeah, I just had my daughter, so fresh into motherhood and really trying to balance being a mom but not wanting to be home, right. I really wanted to continue my journey and working with young people. So what I would do is, I'm rushing to take my daughter to school.

What were you doing prior to having the baby?

So prior to having my daughter, I was working, but working wasn't as major as it become as it became after adder.

So I would work in schools. I was teaching.

Oh, you were still in education, always an educator, always teaching. I would work with other nonprofits. I had many jobs, right, But the idea was that I could not remain consistent because I couldn't remain healthy right, And corporate America wasn't accustomed to folks saying, hey, listen, I'm really not well today.

You know I can't come in today.

You look at me now and you say, wow, you look great, you look strong and healthy.

I can leave here and in ten minutes I'm in a crisis.

So with sickle cell, is that something that you would disclaim upfront or would you be more fearful to tell employer? No.

I would always tell my employers upfront because it's a part of me right, and I know that I can't prevent what may happen. You know, no one wants to be but you don't know when that's gonna happen. So I've always been an upfront person because it's a part of my journey. However, you know, I think once an employer hires someone and they need them and they get them in the workforce, then they just don't understand how they.

Own this works.

Right, you were here today, you did great, fine, you seem fine, and now all of a sudden, you can't come in or you're at the hospital. So I knew it was that moment that I had to make a decision. And the decision was, Yeah, I have my daughter. I need a career, but not only that, I want a career, and then what am I going to be able to do that's going to allow me to take care of myself and really accept the fact that if I'm not well, I can't be there.

And that was me creating Elite Learners, Inc. And becoming an entrepreneur.

Now when you pitch a family, hey I'm gonna go into Elite Learners or I don't know if you pitched it, but typically from that hospital, yeah, I had a black and white notebook and from the bed, they will go, you sick.

Again, What are you going to do? What did the job say? What about the kids?

You know?

What did the principles say?

And I'm like, so from the bed, it was a conversation. I am going to pivot and I'm going to find something that allows me to be a mom but also something that I can take care of myself and impact youth impact.

Youth, and you need it. Being a momm you also need that like kind of unpredictable schedule because now you have you have you are juggling too things here, you're juggling sickle, which is in my opinion, its own monster. Then you have it because it's unpredictable. Then you have your child, which I'm a new mom, I get it. Like you're on call, You're on demand. Yes, you're on and as a mom, you're like even more wanted on demand as far as like the nurturing and the neediness. Right.

My first step was to get the name. Okay, security name, security name. And the name came about because as I was explaining this vision I had, everyone would say, well.

What are you gonna name it? I don't know, but whatever we do, whatever I do, it has to be elite.

Oh.

I like that.

That was the conversation. Listen, I really like that if I am going to bring services to communities like mine, right, me being from Brownsville, Brooklyn, it's going to be elite. It's going to be the highest caliber of service. We are going to do everything.

To the best of our ability. So we knew. I knew elite, elite?

Was it? I like that?

And then I had to figure out, how is this girl from Brownsville, Brownsville, Brooklyn tackle corporate America. You know what it's like to be outside and be in the community and hang out, but want to be influential. And I knew that I was going to be the voice of the young people that is, so what am I going to do? So I knew it was a lot of teaching involved, It's going to be a lot of learning experiences.

So it came up elite learners.

In Now, what was the initial need that you were like, is not being met that you saw where you had to create elite.

School based programs that actually captured students' attention.

You know, those programs that you can't wait to get to.

You're in the class and you're like when it's because I got to get to that class. I was that person in the school. Right, you walk into lunch.

Room, all of the kids run to you, They're excited to see you. You know, life.

It's heavy for our kids that are going to school, right, and sometimes when you walk in those buildings, you want to know that there's someone that you can talk to,

I love that. Now, what were some of the tougher hats, Because if you're on the service side of a company, you're the service brider, you're the teacher, you're you know, the other side of entrepreneurship is typically sales, sales and marketing, Right, these are if you're on the service side, If you're like say the chef of the restaurant, you enjoy cooking

Out of my comfort zone was actually asking for what I needed in order to do the work. Right, So being able to present, to talk about my company, to talk about, you know, what resources are needed, to start to advocate for communities.

All of that was foreign to me.

Right, This is someone who want to do so many things but lived in a shell. So now I now have to break out of that shell because I got to be able to represent my business and represent you know, the vision and the mission that I see for young people. So definitely number one, I would say asking for funding, right, so.

Trying to get and like what was that approach? How did it look?

And so my first funder, I definitely would say the New York City Doe, right was education, the education now New York City public schools, but the principles in the areas I went back home, right, went back to my community. That's where I wanted to start, so definitely reaching out to those principles and allowing them to see my program and then deciding that they would want to work with me as a vendor.

Was it hard to like name your price or did you try and do like a competitive scope.

Yeah, it's it's it's hard because.

You got to get them to take a chance on a brand new.

Brand new and that's what And in the beginning it was a lot of volunteer work.

It was a lot.

I was not afraid to volunteer to show you know what I bring. And then you want to see the difference, right, You want to know that if you're working with the vendor that is working with some of our students that normally don't come to school or maybe late to school. Right, you want to know that after that work has begun, you see a difference, You see progress in the students that they're working with. So we did a lot of volunteer services.

Now, when you do volunteer services, you're in for another tricky bit because you are providing for your child, you're providing for yourself, and you're providing for this brand new company. And volunteer doesn't exactly keep people on your team. And it also makes you a triple headed person with sickle cell respectively.

So yes, and you know what that brings me back to this, right, It became a point in my business where I knew not having a store front was detrimental, Right. I didn't have a place that my young people could come outside of their school to work with the organization. And I wanted that place so bad that I stepped out and rented our first office, our first store front. And I kid you not, that first month I signed

In the storefront.

And I knew at that moment I was paying my rent in the store from of course, not my rant.

Of course, what kind of logical entrepreneur would do it the other way? Right, so logic there, Yes.

So I secured the next month's rent at the storefront, did not pay my rent?

Oh you actually did forego your own rent?

Yes?

Oh, yes, what, yes, I didn't have anything.

So but did you have a path on before you sign this lease, on how you're going to make the revenue to pay.

For the lease?

No?

Oh, you're all faith No.

I only I knew that it was an hindrance to my young people because school would dismiss at two twenty and if there's no after school program, and I wasn't a large enough vendor to be the after school program at that time, so that means that there's no place for the children to go.

But they didn't when you're they didn't say, hey, even though we have an after school program in the school, will allow you this certain area. To know, my princes always wondered if schools would allow to My principal said, and it was very much appreciated.

She said, you can use the space anytime during the day. But you know, unfortunately it's not open twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. It's not open on the weekends. And this is all I could offer you. And at that time, I said, you know what, I'm gonna take it because I got to start somewhere. So I had a little office and I had a little you know, computer setup during the day, but I had no I had no place to.

Get to grow the business.

So you didn't think that possibly trying I'm trying to play Devil's advocate here, you didn't think about those living work spaces. I don't know if they have those out here. I know in Kelly they do. They have like the you have that's on the bottom, and then you have the.

At that time, I couldn't I knew I couldn't afford anything.

And you had to be in a certain area, right.

Yeah, I was in my area. Yeah it was.

It was in the Brownsfelt section of Brooklyn. So I got those keys.

Just so you guys know, just to fast forward a little bit, she has four locations now, right, Yes, four locations. So that's a huge leap of faith to skip rent on. How long did you have to kind of like balance the rent Dance Act?

So I did that for two years?

Two years? So what would you do, like play two months with from where was that?

And I'm telling you my little secret, but where was that? You could miss two months and then after the third month they would serve you with the court papers.

Okay, right, So what.

I would do is I would miss and then pay at the storefront. And then I knew I could not allow a payment not to reach the third month or I would have to be in court.

So I was juggling, juggling.

You know, my personal needs versus what what I needed to do because I believed.

In your company.

Your cash flow was at this point, you're really learning how to juggle cash flow, because yes, even even with the three month system or what have you, how are you able to make or I guess, before you got the storefront, did you predict that you were going to be able to whether the cash flow storm but still have enough revenues to cover both.

No, so I knew for a fact, I had no city or government contracts at that time. It was only the work that I contract subcontracted with other larger nonprofits or working within a school, and it was nowhere near where I needed to be to be able to even have a budget.

Right, So you, how are you able to take that much faith?

I had to do.

It in another shout out, not only for locations, but it's ten years now, ten years ten years yes, wow, yeah, So how did you whether that's storm to be able to grow the business.

So what I did is I started to get out. I started to meet my elected officials in the area. I met with them, Listen, this is who I am, this is what I've believe in, this is my.

Calling, and this is my plan.

And it was just me getting out and really pitching, putting the you know, putting my feet, my hands, everything all in community, all in So, if there was a walk in my community, I was there. If there was a community board meeting, I was present. You know, police gatherings as far as community forums and settings meeting NYPD and the roles that they played with our communities, I was there.

What made you decide to look up electors who pointed you in a direction? Because a lot of people do nonprofits. They don't necessarily I don't know why they don't, but they don't necessarily think, let me go to my.

Elected for me.

I was really intrigued by the lack of resources that were in our school system. Right I'm in the schools and I see computers that are really expired, old programming, not up to date. So For me, it was just the lack of what is happening in the community. And I knew that A lot of the funding and a lot of the structural how should I word it, A lot of the funding that comes down comes from city council comes from council members. Right, they advocate on behalf

I love the fact that you didn't even have relationships because even in Cali it's very political.

So it's like you.

Call, you call, you make six phone calls. You don't get to that elected No, it's but another thing is your storefront at the time, what services was your storefront offering to the community.

So at the time when we first started, I had my first employee, right, So I did I did have someone that said listen, I will come on and work with you.

She had another job, so she would.

Carve out hours that were donated hours to the organization. Very grateful for my board because my people I put together board. Yes, my board comprised of community members. These were individuals, homeowners, folks that were already involved in community. So my board played a major role in volunteering time, leading me to some of the resources I didn't have. And really they were my backbone, they were my strength.

And how did you put together your board?

So my board was put together by people, by myself, but with people that I would see at the meetings.

So you know, you go to community.

Board meeting, Oh you were building your board, yes, yes, simultaneously, so I was. I would go to the meetings and I, you know, see the same people, right. So when you see the same people and they're advocating for sanitation, then they're at the education meeting, then they're advocating for policy, they're you know, involved in NICHA. Then those are folks that are willing to give their time and those are

Hours a week and we'll get started.

And literally we went to school to school, we interviewed. We couldn't take on too much because we couldn't pay staff, and you know, folks will volunteer a little bit of their time, but they're not really into volunteering. So we did what we could at that time. And then it began to grow. And the way it really began to go but was by elected officials and government agencies and us applying to grants and now really starting to market Elite Learners as a community based organization.

Yeah, I like that now sometimes. Okay, so right now, I currently reside in Los Angeles, as you guys know, I am originally from New York. But I know in Los Angeles sometimes these electeds they have access to also buildings and stuff like that, and sometimes you can kind of get a building for like a dollar, you know, or whatever. A month you're still trying to figure it out.

I was gonna say, you helped me out.

If you haven't cracked it out, then it's probably not possible. And with New York real estate, I'm pretty sure it's almost impossible. But I know in Kelly, yeah, you can try to hear about those lucky nonprofits, those nonprofits that really get buildings, and listen, I've been out there, I'm looking. I need put it out there.

Put it out there.

Definitely is my dream to not only own a building, but to have a community center for young people.

So I know you talk about some of your setbacks being like obviously the beginning of the company, which is like juggling, you know, building a business, creating these services while not having the funding. Before I get into my next question, at some point, do you decide to take on loans.

No, because I know I couldn't pay them back.

Really at that time or forever because you're ten years olds now.

Yes, we did take on loans during the COVID time, right, and we were forced to, but very grateful for those options, you know, and those opportunities because we didn't lay anyone off during that time. So definitely, But in the beginning though, because I knew I.

Didn't have to be yes on what was probably the most heartbreaking in the company in the whole ten years where you were like, you don't know if you could weather this storm, and I don't even know how that works with sickle cell also, But what was there was there ever a point in the business where you're like, ooh, this is a bit yeah, I may be in over my head, we may closed doors or.

Yeah making it So it was definitely during COVID and right before the city shut down officially like New York City public schools are closed, we're in a state of emergency. Right before that, I signed a lease for my second location.

Jesus right.

So it was at that time, and the vision for my second location was adding on from the work I've done in Brownsville and I did in Brownsville, moving it now, expanding it to East Flatbush. So we were like in a time where we're jumping out on a on a leap to just even expand a small nonprofit at least signed ready to move in all of a sudden city shed stand again, the only folks that can come out

There was no way to possibly say. And at that time, you couldn't predict it. COVID it was going to be two years.

I couldn't predict it. But what you know, what I knew. I knew it was going to be a time where food and seniors were going to be in need. And one of the programs that I was planning to run out of that office was.

A food pantry program.

Okay, So what I did is I said, listen, it's a white box. We can't paint the walls, we can't move in, but what we can do is we can use it as a space to collect food items to distribute to community members during.

This hard time.

So you pivot it.

So I pivoted again.

Why do you say again, did I miss the first pivot?

The first pivot was me pivoting from not having an office space.

You're getting the first space.

The first one, yes, But oh I was when I think pivot, I think you shift your market. Well oh okay, okay, okay, okay, But technically I see what you're saying. All right, all right, I like, I like acknowledging that, guys, just because I

Yeah.

And then on the just to add on on the public safety violence prevention side of the work. We are employing or I'm employing individuals that were formerly incarcerated, individuals that were previously involved in gangs or you know, just in be behavior that may not have led them to a road of success. So now the organization is about creating success and showing our young.

People how to get there.

Right, So in this moment of uncertainty, you don't know when funding is going to come in. A lot of our programs, remember were school based, their mentorship, they were hands on. So now we go to a virtual world and we can't capture the audience the same way.

And kids that are coming from like not so great environments. Yes, it's you know, I would imagine those two years could have set some set them back pretty far and created some damage.

So what we did is we utilize the new location at that time, which is the second office, and we stored our pantry goods there.

Set it up.

We were coming out every day masks, you know, full soup, full gear, and we were making home deliveries of pantry food to community members. So at one point we were doing maybe five hundred and fifty stops a day.

What yes, and where were you getting the food. You did a contract with the city or something. So what we did is we worked with different organizations. We worked with some warehouses, and you know, we just rallied around.

But that's you doing a lot. Restaurants were calling and donating.

Meals, but you were doing a lot of the legwork as far as sparing all of that, right, because it's not I would imagine you're not giving it to some employer or whatever. So your career, not only are you pivoting, but you're like picking up the phone and saying, hey, but at this point, how many years in are you?

So?

And this point I was six years in?

Six years in? Okay? So you you you gained enough of a roller decks, yep. But also like right when you hit your stride, you got the wind kicked out of you. Yes, so during the two years you successfully pivot the company. But when you come out of hybration, you return to your initial focus.

Yes, returned to initial focus and expanded to being able to have actual food programs.

Now, oh wow, because of all that. Wow, So we.

Still have our food pantry every week. We never cut that off, we never stopped. And then it has now led us to actually have a food program, so we have the Let's Eat program, and.

Then do you still cater to seniors in addition.

Still working with seniors. Our pantry line weekly is comprised of seniors. Still answering those emergency calls when families, you know, don't have enough food and resources.

So yeah, still doing the work.

Wow, Now how many employees do you have?

Now?

Now I'm up to seventy eight employees?

Seventy a yes, yes, yes, that's a huge fate. And you know, employees is a tricky thing because not only are you responsible for you know, one bad a can can roten an entire part of your company or if not, take out your company. And then you have the other thing is.

You have cash flow. Yes, and that well how do you how do you how did.

You scale the business business to navigate those waters to that capacity?

Yeah.

So earlier when you asked about the loan opportunity, right, that was that was pivotal. Well, that was major at that time. So we were able to do that and do that and now we have contracts, right, so now we're actually contracted to do some of the most of the work that we're doing in the city. Yeah, so we were able to, you know, gain those relationships and get solidified contracts where now we know, okay, this is what we're contracted to do.

We perform those services and the companies compensated.

So just to recap, I could I wish I do wish we were in LA because I feel like this conversation could go a little bit longer. But just to recap, can you give us a snapshot on how we know you have over seventy eight, seventy eight employees for locations, how many people are being serviced at the moment right now on average? Because I saw it in the day, it was a big number. Go ahead, you can shout it out talk wow, I wow, you've serviced over half a million.

Yeah, over half a million.

Who I thought it was in the seven hundred, it's about it's about six hundred and I think six hundred and fifty thousand people comprised of all of our after school programs, our senior programs and events, our staff. We have consultants. So my seventy eight employees, that's just my employees. Those are my full time, part time employees. Doesn't factor in all of the consultants that we have shut out to the consultants, the other businesses that we support in doing the work.

Yeah, we're servicing.

Wow.

Wow, when you look back at that ten years, what advice would you give to someone in your shoes may potentially could have been? It could be a single mom. I don't know if you're a single mom or not.

Yes, okay, yes, even tougher, even tougher. Yeah.

When I say the cards, the cards somewhat seem a little stacked against you, even though you're so graceful and so sweet and so packaged, so well, and you've accomplished so much. But it definitely seems like the road was one hundred percent uphill during those ten years. I would imagine you had crisises right. Yes, yes, and your team stayed stayed the course.

Yes, my team, very very grateful for all of my team members directly, but also for all of the supporters, you know, those that really support and stand with elite learners.

I can't, I can't thank.

You, very gracious, but I suffer daily with the illness crisis in and out the hospital. So yes, that still, you know, continues to happen. It's it has not been easy, right, And what I could say is keep going right, we all have our tough days and times, and we have our you know, periods where we don't see the good and the work that we're doing, but keep doing it. And I think for me, what keeps me going is I see the way elite learners has changed the trajectory

Days, right where these are areas that.

Are infiltrated with gun violence, right, it's just violence. I'm watching the schools that we work with and partner with. I'm watching those kids walk across stages, you know, when they didn't believe in themselves, when they just needed the support. So I see the difference that the organization makes and for me, that is what keeps me going despite you know, the hard times and the health issues.

Yeah yeah, So your advice would be to stay the course, stay the course. And during the ten years, was there any point where you thought I want to quit? Yes? Okay, Well I think it's good to know because I think people will see this in ten years. All the success self made, self made. You know, it's self made. When your go to dish is you know fried chicken wings and poor fried riot or self made is also when you're like, I'm going to choose between my storefront rent

Parents have to definitely step up right, they have to definitely take responsibility and accountability for what is.

Happening and definitely what has happened. It's hard, though, it's hard. You know, there's so many.

There's so many things going on that really just influence the behaviors of young people. You really, you know, there's the pair pressure, there's the just not thinking, there's the lack of support. It could be it's so many different challenges that are just happening in the world. But definitely it's a hard topic to speak on. Very It's very difficult for me because the mom suffered with sickle cell and it's dealing with that disease, right, And I know

It may but I gotta go.

So I can only imagine she may not have even been feeling well right to be able to deal with what was put in front of her for no apparent reason.

Yeah, I would say for the side of the kids that are actually doing the bullying.

Yeah, but they need they need help, they need support, right.

I heard that some people were saying that they're going to try and try them as adults, Like you can't really do that, do the right, you know?

For us, and in this, in the work that we do, we are about supporting both sides, right. We support the folks that need the help and that have committed the crimes or may have partaken in the active bullying, and then we also support the families right that are victims. So in my stance, it's very hard. Both need a lot of support and not a lot of love. But at the end of the day, there has to be accountability. What that looks like, I don't know, and I you know,

As all members. Yes, Okay, I I like that answer cause I was kind of coming from a more ignorant state, and I say ignorance, But I come from a more ignorant state, and I say, you know, I think sometimes parents and single and or single parents are up against a lot of pressure, and I feel like, if there's not enough active role models touching the youth regularly, this is what happens. Yes, where you don't have someone that's constantly checking in, who are your friends, where'd you do,

And I want to say, what was key for me and what is really still bothering me is the fact that mom explained that her son had been bullied for several years and that she had contacted the school and you know, try to reach out. And that for me, right is the school needs to provide support.

Right.

We can't turn a blind eye to bullying. We can't turn we can't.

Say it's dismissal right, you know, see you later write what happens outside of my building? No, you know, as educators, as leaders, we got to protect our children and our families.

At every step of the way.

So at Elite Learners, we have safe passage programs that actually puts individuals outside of school buildings to ensure our families get to and from school. So, had I had a violence interrupter, a credible messenger, a mentor outside of the perimeters of the school, we alleviate things like this from happening. There's someone there to intervene, right, someone that's not afraid to say, hey, listen, this is not acceptable behavior.

This is not going to happen.

So we create and have programs to do that work because we see the need. We know what happens, you know after school and during dismissal and what could happen. But you know, we got to start to address these things. We can't turn a blind eye to it.

No, But I think that speaks to elite learners in the fact that your service is elite in the sense that you know, you're thinking about everything from on the way to school, yes, to getting home to the feel like what that process looks like for a young person, lunch from support and lunch from support. Right, So when this bullying may be taking place right or any of those opportunities where children are left and they may not know how to deal with those situations, we're in them.

We're in those spaces and in those areas. And you know this is not only in New York but across across the world.

Like principles, educators really have to dive into utilizing services and programs that can alleviate some of these things from happening.

Wow, well, where can everybody tune into everything? Elite Learners and you can.

Say right there, So please follow us on Instagram. It's Elite Learners, Inc. The website is Elite Learnersinc. Dot com and we're everywhere.

Everywhere, And you know you guys can more than welcome to donate support. Yes, and I know I was talking with you prior to our taping. I definitely want to see a ten year anniversary gala. Okay, so all y'all funders and everybody pull out your checkbooks and supports more. We want to see more storefronts, more schools, more communities impacted by Elite Learners.

We appreciate it and very very much into making sure that if anyone donates supports the organization, the resources really impact the individuals on the ground. We really change the trajectory of communities and support families. So looking forward to continue in the mission. And thank you so much for having me.

Thank you so much for taking time out of your day and feeding us. Thanks you all for tuning in.

Peace out. Thank you