Raised in Philadelphia by a single mother, I was lifted by a village of aunts, coaches, and trusted adults who instilled the skills to see and seize opportunities. That showed me how a community can change lives. As a teacher of at-risk youth and later a principal, I handed out laptops during the pandemic while families shared stories of grief, instability, and barriers far beyond the classroom. That moment became my inspiration to build solutions that support families beyond the school system.

Being a Lions Club member keeps me grounded in service, and I stay motivated by turning ideas into real impact. What started in one school grew into Community Connect 360, now helping families across Delaware access mental health and support services. Seeing our community of solutions approach increase access to care and empower people and community organizations to build safer, healthier, and economically thriving communities, keeps me driven every day.

I would reinvest 100% of the $25,000 into Impact Community Supports to launch a rapid-response fund that can immediately cover urgent needs like therapy co-pays, emergency housing gaps, and same-day support for families in crisis. It would also fund small group prevention circles and pay trusted community members to mentor youth before situations escalate. Much of our funding is restricted through grants, so flexible resources help us build the infrastructure needed to grow.