A NOTE FROM OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Dear Friends,

When I took the reins at Birmingham Promise one year ago, I inherited an organizationthat had already made an outsized impact on our community. The internship program was bringing together students and industry, while the scholarship program ensured that students who needed further education to achieve their dreams were able to do so tuition-free. As such, this is the work of the dedicated board, staff, donors, community volunteers, and champions who are helping us to keep the promise.

The Birmingham Promise is poised to have an even more profound impact on this city and its young people in 2023. We are now fully-staffed with a talented and committed team that brings years of experience in education and youth development to our organization. Our board has nearly doubled in size, bringing in diverse and thoughtful leaders to help steer us in the coming years.

We have also unlocked new sources of funding, including thousands of dollars raised by individuals and hard-working members of our community.

All of these investments matter greatly, as our hardest work lies ahead of us. We must raise millions of dollars to invest into the future of this city through educating and training our students. Our industries must galvanize to place jobs and funding into the hands of our youth, who will staff, revitalize, and restore our economic growth. Our work is not charity -- it is the necessary investment of people and resourcesthat will launch our city forward.

We are endlessly grateful to the mentors, employers, donors, school counselors, teachers, and principals who make our work possible. And to the young people of Birmingham, we are here for you and cannot wait to see all that you will do.

Samantha Williams, Executive Director

The Birmingham Promise