Today we’d like to introduce you to Tracey Hardwick.
Tracey, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I spent the first 25 years of my career doing what I loved in broadcast media as a news anchor. Through my job, I was given an amazing platform to share the stories of people in my community, stories of joy and celebration to those of heartache and often loss. I knew I was right where the Lord wanted me to be. But, in 2008, my journey began to change when my family and I traveled to a small village in Nigeria on a medical mission to love and care for over 200 orphans. The trip led to the unexpected blessing and adoption of our 4th child. I knew at that time that my path would be forever changed as my heart for the marginalized was now my passion. I completed my role as a news anchor after 25 years and stepped into the nonprofit world.
In 2018, I surrounded myself with a Board of Directors that brought great leadership and wisdom from attorneys to successful business owners to leaders within the community that I call home. From that effort, TOGETHER WE THRIVE was born and became a Texas-based 501c3 organization. What began as a support role with local foster operations grew into something greater in the Spring of 2019 when I launched what has become an ongoing effort in public schools, transitional homes, wherever vulnerable youth can be found. In 2019, in our first opportunity to serve vulnerable youth, an interaction with a young man validated my new path in life. It was my first day at J.L. Patton, the alternative school in DISD. A young man came in who was not in any condition to be in school, and he said, “Are you a mom? I’d give anything if I had somebody that I could call my mom.” With that, he buried his head in his hands and wept uncontrollably! It was in that moment that I knew that I needed to rally our community. We needed to step in and fill the gap for youth that are lacking a healthy consistent adult in their life. The mission of TOGETHER WE THRIVE was set, being the consistent friend in the lives of vulnerable youth that are living in survival mode. Transforming lives that transform communities.
The youth we serve don’t choose their stories, so we need to help them rewrite them. The labels they have been given, they didn’t ask for and definitely don’t deserve.
Rallying is just what we’ve done. Today, TOGETHER WE THRIVE is coaching vulnerable, homeless, food insecure, foster, and sex trafficked youth across North Texas.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Our biggest obstacle is increasing our financial support to reach more youth. I began Together We Thrive with volunteers of like-minded, like-hearted people working beside me to serve vulnerable youth. We were effective, but I found that volunteers would sometimes need to cancel when the busyness of family and life would call them away. Our youth have been cancelled on their entire life, so TWT made a commitment to NEVER CANCEL on any youth. This commitment requires paid staff, called Life Coaches. We are continuously building our Life Coach team but have a wait list of youth wanting a life coach in the schools we serve and the demand of other schools asking for our services.
We are also often challenged to raise awareness that these youth actually exist…that there are vulnerable youth navigating life on their own, living in survival mode. Statistics show that 1 out of every 3 youth will navigate life on their own.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Our mission is to champion the advancement of every youth in North Texas who has been unjustly labeled. We aim to transform the lives of vulnerable youth, stepping in the gap for those who are living in survival mode, navigating life without a consistent adult. Statistics show that there are over 10,000 such youth across North Texas; these are youth…underage, not adults! The hope and mission of our work is to change that trajectory, one youth at a time.
Some of our youth call me mom, or a version of it….and it brings me to tears. Many tell me that they’ve never had anyone in their life that they can depend on until now, until Together We Thrive, and their Life Coach stepped into their life. I can’t imagine not having a mom, someone in my corner that I know I can depend on to validate my purpose here on this earth, in my community. Statistics show that 1 or every 3 youth will navigate life without a mentor, someone they know is there to lead, guide, and cheer them on. This is hard to believe until you walk our streets and schools each and every day. It’s real!
This past year, TWT was awarded Innovator of the Year by United Way of Metropolitan Dallas and finalist for D CEO Magazine, Nonprofit & Corporate Citizenship Award for Leadership Excellence.
We served double the amount of students projected with a 100% success rate!
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
It’s the hardest calling I’ve ever had on my life… but wouldn’t trade it for a moment! NOTHING will keep me from being the voice for youth looking for someone to show them they matter!
I challenge others to get involved somewhere. If every person in our communities across North Texas did one thing for one person…can you imagine? Take a step to get involved. There are so many incredible non-profits doing amazing work. Simply get involved, follow you heart, and together we can change our community together! TOGETHER, WE can THRIVE. Nothing will keep Together We Thrive from being the voice for every youth that is simply looking for someone to show them that they matter they are cared for and loved.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/Twttexas
- Instagram: @twtTexas
- Facebook: @twtTexas
- Linkedin: Tracey Johnson-Hardwick
- Twitter: @twtTexas
- Other: Together We Thrive
