NORTHRIDGE CA-The Los Angeles branch of Step Up is expanding throughout the city in order to mentor more girls.
Photo: Step Up Orange County
Step Up is an organization that helps teenage girls from low-income community’s finish high school. They provide the girls with mentors to inspire them graduate. Step up girls even go to college and get a stable career. Maya Mackey has worked for Step Up for two years.
She started working for as a part-time as a confidence curriculum instructor. Now she is the full-time lead facilitator, for the 9th grade teen program. “At Step Up we are serving teens that come from low income under resourced communities. Without safe spaces they are prone to things like gang violence, alcohol abuse teen pregnancy,” Mackey said.
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Teens that come from low-income neighborhoods usually carry the stress of the of their parents.They may have to get a job to help make ends meet. Leaving them with less time to study. Less study time decreases their chances of graduating.
Paula Kashtan is a new staff member at Step Up. “Our goal is to inspire women to inspire girls. Our girls can’t be what they don’t see,” Kashtan said. The organization has professional women come in to mentor the girls.
The staff is dedicated to helping their girls succeed. “These girls are bright they just need a push,” Mackey said.
Step Up is a non-profit organization that relies on the help of donors. Some donors give because they had more privilege than the girls who come through the program. Step Up also has connections with organizations throughout the world like, Ellevate Network. Ellevate is an international corporate organization dedicated to connecting business women with one another.
Ellevate celebrated Giving Tuesday by shining the light on some of the most prominent organizations that help women. Step Up was invited. Events like this help provide Step Up with the resources they need. Those who donated on Giving Tuesday helped Step Up raise more than 100 thousand dollars.
Video Step Up Shine and Dine Event
By Angel Johnson
Contributions from ABC
Video: Phenom Network
Photo: Step Up Orange County
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