2021 Annual Report

2021 was PowerUP’s Blue Belt year. Our founding year, 2017, was our White Belt year. We had a successful trial with 15 kids and got our 501c3 status. In 2018, our Yellow Belt year, we adapted our initial concept, and began to grow with two new partners – La Amistad and Agape. 2020 was our Green Belt Year. We thought COVID would keep us from serving our scholarship students, since martial arts training has historically been in person. Instead, we added a key board member, Tom Rawls, who helped us see COVID as an opportunity, and we grew! Despite the various setbacks of the pandemic, 2021 was a year of significant growth for PowerUP. I joined as Executive Director, we served nearly 150 new students, we received applications from over a third of our target service area, and we raised a target surpassing $540,000. It is truly an honor to work with an organization with such great potential and a responsibility that I do not take lightly. Our progress this year would not have been possible without the support of our sponsors. On behalf of the PowerUP Board and myself, thank you to all of our donors for your belief in our vision, and for helping kids thrive!