BLOOM Impact 2015-16

When we believe in, invest in and support our young men, they will thrive. By doubling down on our focus on high school completion and reducing recidivism, youth participating in BLOOM saw improved outcomes in school and were better able to complete the terms of their probation and separate themselves from the system.

BLOOM’s success, compounded with the needs in the community, led CCF to announce a two-year, million-dollar extension to the initiative in order to serve more young men and build a sustainable future for BLOOM programs. The initiative also received its first grant from a national funder, a $500,000 Community Progress Makers grant from the Citi Foundation. This investment will allow CCF to deepen the organizational capacity of our partners, Brotherhood Crusade and Social Justice Learning Institute, and develop an evidence-based model that can be replicated in other cities.

We are grateful for the commitment shown by BLOOM donors, funders and our hard-working partner organizations. We are also thankful for our advisory committee and particularly outgoing chair Carl Ballton. His dedication, care and passion have been instrumental in creating better futures for BLOOM participants.

This year, BLOOM transformed hundreds of lives, helping young Black men realize their potential. As one participant said, “I want to be the first one in my family to say I’ve actually graduated high school, gone to a four-year university and gotten my Ph.D.”