Velentium lives out its mission to “change lives for a better world” in part by joining forces with organizations that share our vision to make a positive difference. In 2020 and 2021, we worked with Sleep in Heavenly Peace to build bunk beds for kids in Houston who previously didn’t own one.
Today, we’re proud to partner with LEAD Houston, another organization that is committed to changing lives. LEAD’s mission statement says it best: “Letting Everyone Achieve Dreams (LEAD) prepares youth for success by providing life skills and exposure to new opportunities. We inspire vision, empathy, and tenacity.”
LEAD fulfills its mission in a variety of ways: yearly summer camps, monthly community engagement activities, and weekly social emotional learning classes. In its SEL classes, LEAD helps students develop skillsets to overcome obstacles in pursuit of achieving their goals. LEAD’s weekly activities give students opportunities to explore their communities through field trips and service projects. Summer camps are where students put everything they’re learning into practice through wilderness adventures that test their grit, empathy, and perseverance.
Why are organizations like LEAD so important? According to LEAD’s website, 35% of Houston’s youth are living below poverty level, 74% of youth in the greater Houston area are considered “economically disadvantaged,” 64% of students in Houston’s public schools are deemed at-risk of dropping out of school, and 1 in 4 adults in Houston fails to earn a high school diploma. LEAD’s programs address these challenges in ways that truly make a difference, and impact lives for years to come.
We are excited to support LEAD’s mission as we live out our commitment to make a difference in our own community, our country, and across the world. To learn more about LEAD and to purchase tickets to its upcoming Mardi Gras themed fundraiser on Tuesday, March 1st, 2022 at The Astorian, visit https://www.houstonlead.org/.
(Cover photo courtesy of LEAD Houston)
