Philanthropy: Clippers and Cops
I have often found that people who choose to work in the most challenging environments and with the most outcast populations, such as those alongside individuals suffering from alcohol or drug abuse, children in foster care, or those hardened by years of exposure to trauma and street life now classified as "at-risk youth," are often driven by their own lived experiences. We all need someone else to care.
I recently came across Clippers and Cops in Atlanta through my social media feed. The video showed a young black boy arrested for gun possession and gang activity. His mother liquidated all her savings to save his life. She connected her son to Clippers and Cops, a program that leverages barbershops—one of my favorite places as a kid because I instantly felt better about myself—to build connections between police officers and young people. It's incredibly powerful to meet kids where they are and help them envision a more productive path.
It was a bonus to find out that Tyrone Dennis, the Founder & CEO and a retired A.P.D. investigator, is behind it. Motivated by his work as a police officer and his own challenging upbringing, in which basketball was the medium used to reach him, he established this program that is changing lives for the better. Brilliant brother! For more information visit: Home | Clippers and Cops Non Profit
What other programs should we be highlighting that are helping our young people in their own environments?