A tale of hope

The term "at-risk youth" describes adolescents living in urban areas at risk of becoming something negative, something antisocial, criminal or violent. Higher M-Pact doesn’t focus on those youth. We seek out the high-risk youth already engaged in such behavior, delinquent activities or the Juvenile Justice System.

Higher M-Pact’s core client base consists of these high-risk urban youth ages 11-18. Many were told they’d never amount to anything because they’d be dead or incarcerated before adulthood. Most are so consumed with meeting their daily needs that they never think about what tomorrow could hold – let alone their hopes and dreams 20 years from now.


The typical high-risk urban youth:

  • Teenager born out of wedlock, living in a matriarchal household
  • Experiences and witnesses violence, incarceration and death on a frequent basis in their homes and communities
  • Chronically truant from school and often placed on long-term suspension, youth considers school a place to socialize, not learn
  • Day-to-day activities are the focus of life, rather than the future
  • Primary relationships are with peers

Higher M-Pact intervenes by motivating and engaging these youth through intense, long-term mentoring and positive guidance to break this negative pattern. We help them transform their obstacles into opportunities and create a solid foundation for a successful future.

We can’t forget the community

Higher M-Pact also engages the high-risk community as a secondary client base to encourage positive influences at home. We help the broad community understand the potential of high-risk urban youth and educate them about their opportunities to help.

“No other organization around compares to Higher M-Pact. And I've been around a long time to say that.”
Raymond Roddy