Catalyst aims to mentor 10% of children living in Volusia County.
Felicia Benzo was minding her own business when one day she got a knock on her door. It was two women looking for Felicia, and they needed her help. Felicia wanted nothing more than to close the door, but she saw how desperate these women were. It turns out, they needed her help to develop a mentorship program for their youth living below the poverty line in Volusia County. This is how Felicia founded Catalyst Global Youth Initiative. She believes it’s a shame that children — the most optimistic kind of human beings — grow up without any hope, but she hopes her program can change that.
Tweet ThisKey Takeaways:
[3:15] How did Felicia get involved with Catalyst? [6:40] Why Felicia never intended to be the one to run the charity organization. [8:30] Of the 72 schools in Volusia County, 85% are designated title 1. What does it mean to be a designated title 1 school? [11:25] When you think about it, poverty takes hope away from a person. [13:35] To ensure a child’s greatness, Felicia and her team do vision boards with the children every single year. [15:10] Catalyst was founded almost 7 years ago. [17:00] About 60% of Catalyst mentors have been with their children for over two years. The program plans to give mentorship to each child until they’ve reached high school. [23:15] How did Felicia leverage her grassroots efforts to get Catalyst off the ground? [26:00] Who’s perpetrating the violence? Who’s perpetrating child slavery? It isn’t the children. [27:25] Felicia discusses the 4 principles that drive Catalyst. [32:40] How does Felicia measure Catalyst and their program’s successes? [37:30] What kind of feedback has Felicia received from the Catalyst mentors? [39:20] It is Catalyst’s focus to mentor 10% of the children in the country, which is around 6,400 children. [41:25] It is unacceptable for children to be sitting around doing nothing at home. Children need to learn basic principles and responsibility. [44:45] All children deserve to have a chance. [47:20] How can the Giving Back community help with Catalyst’s mission? [54:45] Our young children today need consistent presence.Mentioned in This Episode:
Catalyst Global Youth Initiatives
Call Felicia: (386) 216-4289
Comments 1
Hello Felicia. You are the only person whom I trust can be of help on a serious matter. My daughter is now paraplegic 3 yrs now and children are involved. We need a professional to help mediate with two of children’s caregivers who unjustly keeping them from their mother and me. Its a long story but my daughter is clean and has been long time. She takes nothing pharmaceutical she got off it all including diladid for pain. She gets it is which send her to hospital but she has bad wounds and finally had flap surgery to close the large pressure wound. She is amazing and strong to have survived so much. She wants to be around her children bit knows she can’t do it full time. Well this is the short version. We are being treated so unfairly and the children are her biggest concern. Her dad Jacques is here to help but he is trying but these women are fighting to keep the children saY from us. Its Unethical and cruel.
l to the children and their mother. No one speaks to us a d so much judgment. Can you help. 386 507 1334. I have so much respect for you and your mission. I also love your skin color. So beautiful you are. Its my artistic appreciation of natural beauty inside and out. Peace and love. Kathy