Today we’d like to introduce you to Steve Riach.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
The nonprofit was founded in 1997 by some business leaders and pro athletes who shared concerns about America’s underserved youth. Following 4 years of research and development, we launched programs in schools and afterschool programs, eventually reaching over 600,000 kids in 26 states, being recognized by the White House and testifying before the U.S. congress. In 2011, we turned our focus to youth in the juvenile justice system. This pivot came shortly after a Texas high school football game was played that became the impetus for the One Heart Project. The story of that game is also being turned into a movie to serve as a catalyst for mobilizing and activating people into a national movement to change the lives of kids in the system and provide them with a true second chance. Along the way, we have been joined by numerous partners, corporations, pro athletes, business leaders, service providers and nonprofits to provide a comprehensive solution for these youths. Following highly successful pilot programs in Texas and New York, we have been building scalable models in Kansas and Texas, that can be replicated in communities across the U.S. We have also begun operations in Indiana and Utah.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Not a smooth road. There have been many struggles. First, what we have labeled as a sympathy barrier exits for these kids with the general public. They are stereotyped, incorrectly, as “bad kids.” We have to change the narrative of what the public thinks about them. As well, there are numerous obstacles for these youths to experience a second chance, because there are so many gaps. Thus, it requires a number of organizations and people to make this happen. That takes time to build. Sadly, some of these kids don’t have time to wait for help. Funding is a challenge, due to the aforementioned sympathy barrier. And, frankly, some nonprofits don’t play well together in the same sandbox. However, many of these challenges have been overcome.
Please tell us about One Heart Project.
We have developed a comprehensive solution for youthful offenders through a collective impact project in which a number of nonprofits, agencies and service providers collaborate to provide juvenile offenders with a pathway that offers the skills, tools and healthy relationships necessary to navigate life successfully and realize a true second chance. In short, the collective does the four main things: Educate, Mentor, Train and Employ. We educate youthful offenders through a proven intensive social and emotional intelligence curriculum that instills critical thinking and decision-making skills. We then match them with a caring adult mentor. We then train them in life skills, job skills and other necessary skills, and provide an opportunity for gainful full-time employment. An array of aftercare service is offered upon release from incarceration. The results are reduced recidivism rates, prosocial skill acquisition, reduced crime rates, reduced taxpayer burden in costs to house them as offenders, and these youths lifting themselves out of poverty, as well as individual life transformation. What sets us apart is the comprehensive model for restorative justice, and the fact that the initiative is tied to a movie that is targeted for release in 2018.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
Playing baseball in the neighborhood. As kids then, we didn’t have to worry about the dangers of playing in the neighborhood, and we weren’t sitting alone in front of the TV or a game console. We were outside, building a sense of community and being kids.
Contact Info:
- Website: oneheart.com
- Phone: 817-427-4621
- Email: info@oneheart.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OneHeartNation
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/1heartproject
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