Our Impact in Action 

Building Hope, One Life at a Time

At The Nehemiah Community Project, we believe that healing happens through connection, consistency, and care. Every outing, every mentorship, and every workshop is a step toward building stronger individuals and a more resilient community.

When The Nehemiah Community Project was founded, we set out with a simple but bold mission: to restore hope, foster healing, and uplift communities through trauma-informed care, mentorship, and mental health advocacy. Since then, that vision has turned into a movement—growing from local conversations to life-changing programming across schools, churches, and neighborhoods.

🚀 In just a few short years, here’s what we’ve built together:

  • 100+ youth mentored through En-Game, T.A.C.T., and school-based programs

  • 5 program launches including the MENd Conference, Brother 2 Brother Podcast, and entrepreneurship cohorts

  • 30+ community workshops on mental health, identity, purpose, and healing

  • 7 school partnerships across Proviso Township supporting night school and daytime students

  • 4 community-based grants awarded to deepen our trauma-informed work

  • 1 committed advisory board of youth leading the charge for mental health change

From Vision to Impact: Our Growth Since 2020

And in just the first half of 2025:

A man standing in front of a classroom with a presentation titled 'Using Power of Hip-Hop' by Dr. Oba'i Cartman, while students sit at desks listening.
Group of young people wearing blue T-shirts indoors, smiling and engaging, with merchandise and colorful wall in the background.

  • 45+ youth engaged through mentoring, night school outreach, and mental health workshops

  • 17-member youth advisory board guiding a 5-year youth mental health grant with Trinity Health

  • 5 student IDs secured for job readiness and access to employment

Youth Engagement

Group of children and adults in a church or community hall, posing on a decorated stage with Christmas poinsettias, garlands, and ornaments.

Education & Mentorship

  • 6 mentorships launched with high school and post-grad students

  • 2 graduates from night school celebrated and supported into college enrollment

  • 3 students enrolled in a 10-week entrepreneurship program, now in its 5th public cohort

A group of four men sitting at a wooden conference table inside a room with wooden blinds. One man in a back cap and glasses is talking to his friends.

Men's Initiatives

  • Launched Brother 2 Brother podcast in January

  • Participated in Men in Action Conference, speaking to 63 males on leadership and healing

  • Spoke on Men’s Mental Health at a virtual “Holistic Healing Hangout” with 19 guests

A colorful game show wheel with numbers and prize options, surrounded by people and a sign that reads 'Great Big Game Show,' in an entertainment venue.

Community & Civic Engagement

  • Guest speaker at:

    • Fox Valley Christian Action (15 youth on overcoming mental health challenges)

    • Hillside Church (100+ attendees on Mental Health in Faith Spaces)

    • Game show field trip with 20+ youth leaders

  • Co-leader in TCI & YMCA civic engagement programming

Group of diverse women in a community room participating in a workshop or meeting. Some are seated, others are standing, with colorful supplies and personal belongings on tables. A bulletin board labeled 'Community Resource' is in the background.

Mental Health & Advocacy

  • Facilitated Rest & Respite Retreat for 15 community leaders with massage, Reiki, and financial literacy

  • Hosted Dr. Obari Cartman for a workshop on Hip Hop & Mental Health with 46 students

  • Led sessions on vulnerability, ownership, and healing with multiple young men facing homelessness

A woman and a girl hugging each other outdoors near a stone wall, both with short curly hair, the woman with red hair and the girl with black hair, both wearing black shirts.

Cultural & Social Events

  • Chartered bus to Bulls game for 20+ youth

  • Bowling mentorship trip with graduating students

  • Movie night: “The Forge” with 4 students + church men’s group