While 2017 was not easy for us at Teen Reach, we want to take a moment to start 2018 with a message of gratitude and hope. Thanks to you, we are starting 2018 feeling inspired for the year ahead. We are humbled by the hundreds of supporters that made 2017 possible. Courage, vulnerability, faith and strength continue to move us, and with every advocate we are stronger. None of this would be possible without YOU—our friends and family, allies and partners—who join us to fight for progress each and every day, to make our communities a safe haven for youth. Together we are creating awareness and reducing stigmas surrounding mental health issues like depression and anxiety caused by life circumstances. By example, as we model positive ways to overcome obstacles, we are fostering believers with the coping skills and grace to handle life’s wonderful, though at times difficult to understand complexities.
Thank you for being a part of Teen Reach. We look forward to furthering the momentum of #teenreachus! Striving for teens, tweens and young adults everywhere to always find hope in their tomorrows and live life loving, serving and respecting themselves and each other.
A support network of families, schools, community leaders, and our corporate partners will empower youth to make wise choices for their future health and well-being. Thank you for being a vital part of their success!
We wish you and your loved ones a healthy, safe, peaceful and joyous 2018!
With gratitude,
Lisa & the Teen Reach team
2017 UPDATES
PARTNERS: In 2017 we partnered with the Charlotte Hornets and hosted our largest event to date at the Spectrum Center. Eighteen area high schools were represented. Charlotte’s Mayor and the Hornet’s Center, Cody Zeller, opened to a sold-out crowd. We expected to award just 1 scholarship to a graduating senior, however due the success of the March 26, 2017 event, we actually gave thousands back to area high schools and multiple scholarships, including the Charles Thornton Entrepreneurial Leadership Scholarship, the Rana Thornton Athletics and Academia Scholarship, and the Madison Overfelt Service Scholarship. Learn more here
• Teen Reach is now a registered 501c3 Non-Profit Organization with UNITED WAY. Please consider directing your United Way donations to Teen Reach! Other easy ways to support Teen Reach are through AMAZON SMILE and PAYPAL where a portion of every purchase goes to your charity of choice. If you buy online (and who doesn’t these days?) Please go through smile.amazon.com it doesn’t cost anything extra. What an easy way to support your favorite non-profit organization!DONATE HERE
• As Teen Reach has continued to grow our Corporate Sponsors have grown with us. Thanks to Carolinas Medical Center, Foundation for the Carolinas, Truliant, SPX, Domtar, Coke, Synders-Lance, Harris Teeter and others, as well as the generous donations of countless individuals, especially those who gave in memorandum to our co-founder Charles Thornton, we will continue to grow and affect positive change. Click here to Sponsor Teen Reach in 2018!
Our mailing address is:
Teen Reach
9235 Rea Road Ste 232
Charlotte NC 28277
CMS SENIORS face off after the 1:00pm HORNETS vs ATLANTIC HAWKS featuring All-Star Trae Young game on SUNDAY APRIL 5, 2020.
FROM 2018 COURT of DREAMS: CMS area seniors, families and friends at the Spectrum What an amazing day! So many to thank and so much to be thankful for…
Starting with Lieutenant Colonel Jeff Jenkins orchestrating the Parkwood Drum Line and area ROTC roll-out of a 30 foot American flag with veteran-honoree Chuck Balley and tiny Sarah with the big voice from Hawk Ridge Elementary singing our National Anthem.
Veronica from Fitness Connection leading us in the Wobble – the Gems and Avery Cheerleaders and all who jumped in …. where were the rest of ya’ll ??? For surely, I didn’t mind dancing like no one was watching 🙂
Hornets own Fly Ty pumping up the crowd, the lovely Jacinda Jacobs for blessing our event with her message and new book Uniquely Qualified and Councilman Braxton Winston II representing the Queen City.
Free throw participation from fans, short-sided girls game and the loveably cheesy Comedian/Magician Scott Francis
Our CMS area gentlemen dunking like NBA pros, ending in a NE SW tie – and ya know – in this instance, its ok – the way I see it, everyone won.
Ms Pontina’s Gems:
and the sweetest Prom Proposal ever by Myles Washington … she said YES!
and UPLEVEL Karate providing fabulous “1/2 time” shows …
Resilience advice by Southeast psych/Hornets sports psychologist, Dr. Festa and iThrive’s Dr. Beth
CRY for PEACE by JStylz and JMar (who’ve recently performed for the United Nations!) filling the stadium and our hearts with their universal message.
Behind the scenes: Thank you to Bria Bell our hard working events coordinator and the supportive Hornets event team; as well as our Refs, Coaches, Announcer Don Krutzig, and many many Volunteers. Especially Coach Gaston and Eleanor with her service project of positive affirmations, Teen Reach board members, photographer Jennifer Knight, videographer Kevin Douglas and all those who helped in too many ways to list … we can’t do what we do without you!
Thank you to our vendors, sponsors and media: Kiss 95.1, Power 98’s Church Boy, Langston at the Charlotte Observer, Isagenix, Tolini Plumbing, Young Living Essential Oils, Domtar, The Pentagon Group, Amazing Lash Studio, Harris Teeter, Snyder’s Lance, South East Psych, iThrive, Now’s the Time Fitness and our 2018 Gold Partners: Truliant, Uplevel Karate, Sports Connection and SOLA
AND a special thank you to SHARON BARKER – who helped pull the whole event together and sat outside on the beautiful though windy day until ticket lines dwindled to just a few still making their way in from Spring Break beach trips! We look forward to awarding scholarships, including one in remembrance of Aaron with the Aaron Barker & Charles Thornton Entrepreneurial Leadership Scholarship. SENIOR PARTICIPANTS fill out and return the scholarship application by MAY 1st … wishing all the best to all of you in your future aspirations.
Yours,
The Teen Reach Managing Team
