Our Impact
Voice2Youth™ is Thank You Darlin’ Foundation’s core program for developing confident writers, readers, speakers, and leaders. This award-winning program offers opportunities for under-served youth to take part in literary, visual, and performing arts.
- Since 2006, the participating youth in our programs have blossomed by more than 100%.
- Of the original five participants from 2006, three have gone onto college and received their degrees. Another has become a mother of three and is teaching her children what she learned.
- 90% of our participants are under-served youth who attend schools in districts with the highest rate of poverty.
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Carolyn West (center) with TCU Honors College students who volunteered at our 2019 Arts and Literacy Celebration
These amazing kids may not have the additional support, experiences, or exposure that’s crucial for nurturing academic and personal success. The Thank You Darlin’ Foundation helps fill that need.
- Through our exceptional programs, we’ve partnered with local universities (TWU, UTA, and TCU) to give college students experiential-learning opportunities as well as bring higher education campus exposure to under-served youth.
To date, we’ve brought literacy-focused educational arts programs to 30 public schools in the Fort Worth, Texas area.
- 7,500 students gained 3,500 additional educational instruction hours during in-school and after-school times.
- Vibrant writing opportunities – We’ve published 8 anthology books of original poems written by children in 3rd through 12th
- Creative Expression and Performance Opportunities – giving ‘voice to youth’ is more than a slogan, it is our commitment to assisting young students in gaining confidence and giving them the tools to express themselves verbally and through the written word.
- 95% of our program participants improve their vocabulary, reading comprehension, creative writing skills and knowledge about literary devices, including simile, alliteration, and metaphor.
