Transforming Disadvantaged Communities through Innovation
Are you ready to make a difference in the lives of struggling families and communities and empower them with the tools they need to succeed?
Founded in 1993, Launch Point Community Development Center, Inc., is a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to providing youth and adult development programs, training, jobs, and resources that meet the needs of those struggling in NE Houston and surrounding counties. We believe that everyone deserves the chance to succeed and that with the right support and resources, underserved families and communities can build a brighter future.
But we need your help to make this vision a reality. By donating to the work of Launch Point CDC, you can make a real impact on the lives of those who need it most. Your contribution will help provide critical resources in education, healthcare, nutritious food, skill training and employment opportunities to underserved families and communities.
Struggling families and communities need your support and help!
It’s important to remember that those living in underserved areas face challenges that most of us can’t even imagine. Discrimination, mistreatment, violence, societal stigmas and economic distress are just a few of the obstacles that those living in deprivation encounter daily. This is why Launch Point CDC is so important. We work tirelessly to provide support and resources to disadvantaged families, youth, senior citizens, ex-offenders, the homeless, and veterans in Northeast Houston.
By donating to Launch Point CDC, you’re not only helping individuals, you’re also making a difference in the community as a whole. Your contribution can help break the cycles of deprivation and distress that perpetuate mass incarceration, widespread violence, crime, school dropouts, poverty, government dependency, chronic diseases, broken families, and more.
Together, we can create a brighter future for underserved families and communities. Join us in providing critical resources and support to those who need it most by donating to Launch Point CDC today. Your contribution can make all the difference.
Many people living in underserved areas are looking to build a better life for themselves and their families…
Introducing Shauna and Keisha: Two Single Mothers Who Refused to Give Up
Shauna and Keisha, single mothers just 21 and 22 years old, both determined to make a better life for themselves and their children. Their problem was not having transportation and deciding together they would hitch a ride to Launch Point in the early mornings and wait outside the gate for help. The staff initially saw them as loitering in an area known for prostitution, human trafficking, drug activity, and violence.
But things changed when our maintenance person went to meet them. Shauna and Keisha explained that they had heard about Launch Point and were outside the gate hoping to be selected for our tuition-free Training and Jobs Scholarship. They were desperate for a chance to change their lives and provide for their children.
At Launch Point, we were moved by their belief and determination. The staff saw the condition for the mothers as dangerous, courageous and requiring immediate help. Launch Point provided them with UBER transportation to ensure they could safely attend our training programs. We are happy to say the ladies worked tirelessly to train and graduated with a National Certification in Phlebotomy.
Thanks to their hard work and our supportive community, Shauna and Keisha now have stable, livable-wage jobs. Their story is a testament to the transformative power of our programs, and we are proud to support individuals like them who refuse to give up. With your help, we can continue to provide opportunities for those in need and transform communities for the better.
It was clear that these two young mothers were determined to make a better life for themselves and their children. They were seeking the skills, support, and guidance that they needed to break the cycle of poverty and create a brighter future.
Unfortunately, many people in underserved communities simply don’t know where to turn for help. They may lack access to education, job training, or even basic resources like food and healthcare. The environment they live in can be incredibly challenging, and it’s easy to feel trapped in a cycle of poverty and despair.
From Poverty to Purpose: The Story Behind Launch Point
In January of 1993, Ivory Mayhorn founded Launch Point with a powerful vision in mind: to provide a lifeline for individuals seeking to escape the despair and distress of marginalized communities. These communities were plagued by a lack of quality education, healthcare, jobs, and security, leaving residents vulnerable to violence, crime, drugs, and more.
Mayhorn himself grew up in Houston’s infamous Fifth Ward, one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in the country. Surrounded by drugs, gangs, and violence, he understood firsthand the struggles faced by socioeconomically disadvantaged youth shackled to a community teeming with crime and despair. With a family of ten struggling to make ends meet, he experienced the constant uncertainty of not knowing where the next meal would come from or if there would even be a safe place to stay.
Despite these challenges, Mayhorn persevered, fueled by a burning desire to break the cycle of economic deprivation and fear that plagued underserved communities. He dreamed of providing families and children with opportunities for a decent life, quality education, livable income, and safe homes and communities.
This vision became Launch Point, aptly named to symbolize the transformative power of launching these communities forward. Mayhorn recognized that without innovative solutions and technologies, these communities would continue to fall further behind. Launch Point aimed to ignite innovation in disadvantaged communities, bridging the gap and propelling them towards a brighter future.
At Launch Point, we believe in empowering communities to rise above the challenges they face. By equipping them with the necessary tools and resources, we enable them to overcome violence, crime, substance abuse, and other obstacles. Our goal is to cultivate active contributors to society who can address global issues collectively.
However, we can’t achieve this alone. We need your support. Join us in making a difference by donating to Launch Point CDC today. Together, we can provide critical resources and support to those who need it most. Your contribution has the power to change lives and uplift underserved communities.
Underserved communities have fallen decades behind and will continue to fall even further if we fail to engage innovative solutions and employ innovative technologies that can launch these communities forward and help them RAPIDLY catch up.
That’s why it’s called the Launch Point!
Let’s end the cycles of deprivation and poverty once and for all Our Vision - Prosperity for All! Our Launch Missions focus on the following areas:
Crisis Disaster Relief
When people are constantly struggling to meet their survival needs, it is impossible for them to focus on personal and community long-term growth. We aim to provide emergency relief and assistance in personal crisis and natural disaster situations so communities can focus on rebuilding instead of survival.Fail-Safe Systems
Fail-safe programs are needed to disrupt the cycles that keep people trapped in poverty, crime, violence. We aim to prevent situations from worsening and promote positive changes by working with judicial and governmental systems (e.g., child protective services, prisons) to execute intervention programsCommunity Unity & Pride
For community transformation to be successful, residents must be unified on the plan. We aim to establish a new culture of unity and community pride, where residents take ownership of their community and become active participants in shaping its future.
Personal Development
Residents of disadvantaged communities are often acclimated to living in poor conditions and are displaced after gentrification because they are unprepared for responsibilities of living in affluent communities. We strive to fuel self-sufficiency and personal growth among individuals living in disadvantaged areas, so they can successfully adapt to changes as the community is revitalized.Livable Wages
Every individual should be equipped with the necessary tools and skills to succeed in careers and businesses of the future. We aim to empower disadvantaged individuals with the necessary tools and skills to succeed in the careers and businesses of the future.Local Economic Development
Money in under served communities tends to go in and out without circulation and the businesses typically offer goods and services at higher costs. Our goal is to attract businesses that create a viable workforce within these communities and develop a network to circulate money, creating a positive economic impact and benefiting the community as a whole.
Health Wellness
We are committed to improving the health and wellness of deprived communities, which often lack access to nutritious food and suffer from widespread mental health issues. By providing nutrition education and addressing mental health concerns, we aim to reduce rates of chronic health problems, abuse, domestic violence, crime, and homelessness in these communitiesRevitalization & Innovation
We strive to bridge the gap between marginalized and mainstream communities by upgrading and beautifying public spaces, buildings, and housing. Technology plays a vital role in this effort, and we are committed to integrating it into our initiatives to help these communities catch up and make rapid progress.Here’s How We Have Made an Impact:
- Over 1000 families per month receiving relief through food, clothing and supply distribution and financial assistance programs
- Restored ~200 senior homes after hurricane harvey disaster
- Helped over 1500 people with CPS evaluations for mental stability and drug testing and provide them with resources (jobs, training, assistance, safe practices, counselling) to keep their children
- Recognized by President Obama’s White House Champions for Change Initiative in 2009
- Assisted 600 families from welfare to living wages
- ~925 trained in new higher wage job skills
- 212 county and federal inmates in construction and nurses aid training
- 100 vets in life skills and intellectual development
- Provided special needs enrichment program for 100 k-12 youth
- ~125 at-risk teens that participated in our Legends and Legacy Program have graduated high school and college
- Helpled ~350 families avoid harsher punishment through Court ordered parenting and life management courses offered
- Hundreds of school/prison motivational speaking events for youth and inmates
Launch Point CDC has been helping people in NE Houston for 30 years.
So far we have focused on helping communities recover from natural disasters and other crises as well as training for higher wage skills. Although we’re proud of what we’ve accomplished, now is the time for us to take our services and programs to the next level…
This is why we have introduced our vision and mission to transform the lives in our under served communities and communities like it.
We need YOUR help & support to put an end to the cycles of deprivation and poverty faced by under served communities.
For three decades, all that Launch Point CDC accomplished was because of people like YOU!
People like you are the reason we have had the impact we have been able to have.
None of our efforts would be possible without the help of donors, volunteers, and supportive community members like you.
Now that we are launching our next stage, we again need your support to help these communities reach their full potential by providing development opportunities and building self-sustainability.
We ask you to make a donation today to help us continue our work!
Please visit our donation page to get started.
To support a brighter future for under served communities, join forces with us!
