interviewed by Kaydee

The Giving & GrOwing Youth and Community Outreach Organization is an upcoming powerful force within the community. It gave me great pleasure to interview two young adults who strive to impact the community and youth in such an influential way. It’s rare today that you find young individuals who want to simply do more for the community just because. The organization includes volunteers who are high school dropouts, those who have been to jail, and college graduates. The organization goes to the Downtown Atlanta area to give to the homeless, taking donations, and changing lives.

Name: Rey Rosado (Age 22) and Melva Lett (Age 23)

Representing: Lithonia, GA

Blondie’s Lipstick: What does Giving N Growing exactly mean pertaining to your organization? 

Rey Rosado: We just want to be able to give the youth and less fortunate something to grow on as far as a support system and just people who want to help them positively; getting back to regular life as far as becoming self-sufficient, finding jobs, and further educating themselves.

BL What made you want to start the organization?

RR Well, I kind of have a rough history myself. I’ve been to jail a couple of times and I’m currently on probation. I have a younger brother and even though I was doing things that were not good I still never wanted my brother to follow in my footsteps. I know a lot of older siblings take younger brothers and sisters and influence them to do what they are doing.

BL Who is your targeted audience; who do you want to reach/impact?

RR Mainly the youth, I guess newborns all the way up to age 25 and anyone else that we can reach also. We basically want to assist anybody who is willing to receive our help.

BL How has the community responded to your organization so far?

RR We’ve been getting a lot of support actually. I didn’t think the organization would take off so quickly but a lot of people have been reaching out to us, mostly people around the age of 22. We just want to get the youth to be able to help the youth.

Melva Lett: Even the people who we give to also help and support. They understand what we are doing and they love it!

BL The organization aims to bridge the gap between the youth and the elder community. How successful have you been?

RR So far in this aspect we haven’t made a huge impact. We’re really in the process of making plans on how we can go about doing so.

BL Do you feel like communities are lacking in organizations like yours? Why is that?

RR Yes. I feel like other organizations do not have the same people that we have in our group. A lot of times other people drop off food for the homeless and sometimes they don’t even get out of their cars. We actually sit with them, talk with them, and get to know them. I feel like my organization is very genuine.

BL Essentially where do you want the organization to go as time progresses?

RR Really I feel like the organization has no limits. I feel like we can accomplish anything that will open the youth minds so that they can further themselves in life. I don’t want to limit the organization because there are so many ways that we can help.

BL How can those eager to help assist the organization get involved?

RR Right now it’s grown to the point where we’re not really big enough to encompass all the help and support that we’ve been receiving. The resources are not great enough right now to accomplish everything that we want to achieve.

ML Right now we’re doing a lot of planning, once we get all of our programs up and running its going to be no boundaries, we’re going to need help all of the time. There will be a place for everybody. We want everyone who comes out to help to be able to do something.

BL What satisfaction do you get from Giving N Growing?

RR I take personal satisfaction from this. Even before I started this organization I was always a giving person. It feels good to know I’m making a difference in the lives of others.

ML For me this is all personal and from the bottom of my heart. We spend our own money to do this because this is what we want to do.

 

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My personal favorite quotes from the interview:

“I don’t want to limit myself with the organization” –Rey

“The organization is conducive for the community” –Rey

“Whatever you can give, it can go to someone” –Melva

“A support system outside of the family of people with similar backgrounds” –Rey

“Coaching the youth through life” –Melva

“Very passionate about the organization. It’s my baby. I’m just here to help” –Melva

For more information contact the organization:

Twitter: @GivingNGrOwing

Facebook: The Giving & GrOwing Youth and Community Outreach Organization

Email: GivingNGrowning@gmail.com

Phone: Rey (678) 914-2864 Melva (678) 900-3377