A group of kids in Dallas experienced the lesson of a lifetime that could help them on the path to success.
The youth program at Interfaith Family Services hosted its inaugural business pitch competition in honor of Black History Month called Past Meets Present.
Children from the nonprofit’s Hope & Horizons Afterschool Program spent weeks researching business icons from Black history and then coming up with a business idea inspired by that figure, along with a plan to launch it.
The kids then pitched their next big business idea to Dallas' top leaders on Tuesday night. Donned in white lab-like coats, the children set up a presentation reminiscent of a science fair, but for businesses.
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Winners received gift cards and other prizes designed to help them take the first steps toward making their dreams a reality.
"One of the things that will inspire a child to perform well academically or make great financial decisions as an adult is having a vision for their future,” said Kimberly Williams, CEO of Interfaith Family Services. “So it's really important that we put the possibilities in their hearts and minds at a young age, so it'll provide the inspiration for good performance.”
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What makes the children more remarkable are the obstacles they have overcome. They are some of Dallas' most vulnerable to homelessness.
“It's really important for us that we help our children to succeed in school. The instability of being homeless or dealing with poverty can affect academics,” said Williams.
Through Interfaith, the cycle of poverty is broken for the children and their families. The organization offers a number of services including all-day childcare for working parents, rent assistance, counseling, career coaching for parents, and cooking classes.
While parents, most of whom are single mothers, receive support, their children are taken care of in after-school and summer programs that provide tutoring, field trips, exposure to the arts and events like the business pitch competition that highlight icons of Black entrepreneurship in history.
"It's very important for us to do what we can to expose our children to heroes and innovators, particularly those that look like them so that they can see themselves succeeding in the future. And so this is just our way of doing that,” Williams said.
Interfaith is always accepting donations of books snacks, and other items, as well as volunteers during the summer who can help connect with and inspire the children.
“When our children exit, we like for them to take one or two books with them. We like to see as many books walk out the door as possible so they can start or add to their personal library,” Williams said.
