Shaping Culture in Richmond City in a positively
Organization: Ambassadors of Virginia
Position: President &Founder
Purpose: Summer Camp & Mentoring Program
Funding Request: $6,000
Established in 2020, The Youth Ambassadors of Virginia has successfully and radically
empowered/saved the most at-risk youth in inner-city Richmond, VA. Through mentoring,
academic enrichment, wholistic support, volunteer & career development, our community has
benefitted from the teenaged girls and boys being exposed to life and resources outside of the
city’s limitations. We specifically target black teenagers indulging in the street life, gang activity,
urban traumas, committing violent acts, addicted to & selling drugs, being murdered, etc., I have
curated a program to target this specific group of young black men and women through
mentoring and support intervention. The Youth Ambassadors of Virginia’s teams’ members are
all licensed educators within the inner Richmond City public school system. The daily
interactions with our students helped propel the need for a nonprofit to support students that have
not been able to have specific school resources support their needs towards living a full life of
quality and autonomy. In less than a years’ time, The Youth Ambassadors of Virginia has
touched and reshaped the lives of over 100 young black men from ages 11-17, while
transitioning from an LLC to a nonprofit organization.
The youth that we service have witnessed so much beyond their maturity and don’t have
the resources nor accessibility to interventions that can help them choose a life that does not
encourage violence. We are reshaping the culture through providing tangible means to help with
growth and support of the entire student, not just his/her academics but their entire being.
I grew up in the same environment in which I teach and service, the inner city, east-end
of Richmond, Virginia. I have witnessed murders, the effect of drug activity destroying my
community and those that I love, all while not being able to fully understand and articulate how
those exposures decremented my quality of life. I have buried more friends before I graduated
from High School than most have in a lifetime. I grew up in a single, female headed household
where my childhood home had been robbed several times, I thought that dysfunction was
normal. I was not exposed to diversity, I thought that life was truly like war and true survival
came through fighting for what was yours, by any means necessary. In order to meet me and my
mother’s needs, I began to indulge in very mature behaviors that I wasn’t prepared to process. I
would walk to the store at very specific times just to make my likelihood of returning home
higher. Gang members and drug dealers flooded my community and if one were to be outside at
the “wrong” time, you could face permanent repercussions from being displaced. I did not have
anyone to talk and express my feelings about matters like these, I did not have proper parental
support, I did not have an outlet, and it felt like I was forgotten about. My life story is
unfortunately the soundtrack of so many of the youth that I mentor today, not much has changed,
if anything, it has gotten worst and for this reason, I have created The Youth Ambassadors of
Virginia because it is necessary and needed, right now! Donating to The Youth Ambassadors of
Virginia is an investment in which everyone should be interested in. Recognizing programs like
The Youth Ambassadors of Virginia program is critical in helping the national economy, local
democracy, and our society as a collective, both today and in the future. Without adequate
opportunity and investment, youth contribute to the costly problems that plague our region
through diseases, violence, and loss of productivity.
What happens to the psyche of a child when you become immune to violence? What
happens to the psyche of a child when they’re tired of crying? What happens to the soul a child
when the only love received is from a gang member? When our youth feel empty inside, they
perpetuate the behaviors displayed in their community. This is why investing in our youth is a
public health issue and priority.
Mentoring services in a high poverty-stricken area like Richmond City will create
harmony. The inner-city, east end of Richmond Virginia is comprised of 5 of the 7 public
housing projects. There have been seven shootings in the past four weeks with the parties
involved being youth that we have had close contact with. We want to reshape and culturally
change this community. This cause is so important to us and the strides we have made so far
wouldn’t have been possible without supporters in our community alongside us like you.
We are reaching out to the community in hopes of financial support for The Youth Ambassadors
of Virginia. Our goal is to uplift Richmond youth who are less fortunate, thrive in life. The
Youth Ambassadors of Virginia program provides mentorship/leadership, academic growth,
workforce development, extracurricular opportunities, weekend retreat programs, and career &
social awareness initiatives. Because we service children that disproportionally come from
broken homes and communities that do not afford the same opportunities some of us had
growing up, we are prioritizing fostering a community of new norms and behaviors by aiming
our service specifically for the youth. Your donation would go towards the following:
Establishing a building within Richmond, VA that will be a safe-haven used for
after school and weekend activities.
Establishing transportation for after school programs, field trips, and transporting
the children to sporting events and church activities.
YMCA memberships
Field trip support for – camp sites for weekend retreats, local amusement parks
(Water Country, Six Flags, Kings Dominion, etc.)
Bowling league for the youth
Building lockdown events for mentorship, education, career & social awareness
initiatives etc.
In closing, we are asking for sponsors to help our team in making even more of a
difference. Would you be willing to help our project with a $40, 000 grant? We can in return
offer membership on The Youth Ambassadors of Virginia board and help steer the organization
towards a sustainable future by adopting sound, ethical, & legal governance and financial
management policies. Financially supporting The Youth Ambassadors of Virginia will also
permit that you guys help ensure that our organization has adequate resources to advance our
mission. We also would love to extend branding on promotional material, speaking on your
behalf at events, etc. Your financial support would directly enable us to reach our goals which
are being a safe haven for our youth, saving lives.
Please contact us at by phone or email at the above information if you’d like to further discuss
our project or our mission.
Thank you,
Earl Thompson
President & Founder of Ambassadors of Virginia
Organizer
Earl Thompson
Organizer
Richmond, VA
Ambassadors of Virginia Inc
Beneficiary