Nonprofit Member Spotlight | Family Biz Builder
Executive Director
Family Biz Builder
Tunica, MS
A beacon of empowerment
Family Biz Builder (FBB) is a transformative force in Tunica County, Mississippi. Since 2014, FBB, a compassionate 501(c)(3) nonprofit youth training and development organization, has been the guiding light for countless low-income, at-risk children aged 5-17 and their families across Tunica, Coahoma, and Desoto Counties.
FBB’s mission is a beacon of empowerment: to uplift communities through comprehensive education, character building, and training for youth and families.
Family Biz Builder confronts a pressing challenge: addressing the dual crisis of low literacy and insufficient youth development. This area, marked by educational disparities, requires targeted interventions to uplift its youth through enhanced literacy, character, and life skill programs. A significant portion of youth in these counties face educational hurdles. Strikingly, over 70% of students in Tunica and Coahoma and over 45% in Desoto County read below proficient levels.
FBB’s College & Career Readiness Program, in collaboration with Winward Academy and part of the National Junior Tennis & Learning network under the USTA Foundation, aims ambitiously to enhance key academic skills in English, Math, Reading, Science, and Writing by 20% by June 2024. This program has already shown significant strides in 2023, improving academic performance and emotional intelligence. The Sports & Fitness NJTL Program is another cornerstone of FBB’s impact. Integrating character-building and life skills with tennis, this program, supported by the USTA Foundation, transforms tennis into a tool for holistic youth development. Participants gain not just physical health benefits and boosted self-esteem but also reduced risky behaviors and enhanced leadership skills.
Related Articles
Woodward Hines Education Foundation Supports First-Gen College Success in Mississippi with $1.5 Million Grant to FirstGen Forward
The Woodward Hines Education Foundation is focused on college completion in Mississippi, and its funds will allow FirstGen Forward to expand its impact in the state.
State’s Nonprofit Sector: An Economic Engine
This commentary piece from the Alliance Executive Director originally appeared in the December issue of the Mississippi Business Journal.
The recent challenges facing nonprofits have dominated public discourse, overshadowing a fundamental truth: Mississippi’s nonprofit sector remains one of our state’s most vital economic drivers and community lifelines. As executive director of the Mississippi Alliance of Nonprofits and Philanthropy, I see firsthand the transformative work of thousands of organizations operating with integrity, transparency, and remarkable efficiency across our state.
Equity in Response, Recovery and Resilence: An Action Report in Five Parts
The Mississippi Alliance of Nonprofits and Philanthropy (the Alliance) was created to enhance coordination, collaboration, and communication among nonprofits, maximizing existing funding and expanding resources. The Alliance also focuses on embedding equity into nonprofit work, aiming to ensure equitable outcomes. During the 2022 Jackson water crisis, nonprofits worked to meet urgent needs. Recently, with funding from the US Water Alliance, the Alliance and its partners have been studying equity in disaster response, recovery, and resilience efforts.