Causes: Children & Youth, Youth Development Programs

Mission: Project Promise is dedicated to improving the lives of at-risk youth on St. Croix by providing empowerment initiatives, cultural programs, and family services.

Results: The impact that we are having on the pilot group of students participating in our flagship Caterpillar Project is just one small aspect of the impact we are having on our community and world! Through our various programs, we have impacted over 750 students on the island. This year over 300 fifth grade students participated in our Buck Island “Ticket to Ride” Program, and over 400 fourth grade students participated in our Salt River Bay “Open Outdoors for Kids” Program. For most of these students, these field trips were their first opportunity to learn about and visit these beautiful natural treasures. One major highlight of our year was our Summer of Service, an amazing horizon-expanding three-week cross-country road trip across America. The Caterpillars and chaperones visited 18 cities in 14 states. Along the way we completed seven service projects, from rehabilitating gardens and packing meals for Meals on Wheels clients to cleaning animal pens at an animal shelter, helping at a homeless shelter and more. One service project that was particularly meaningful took place in Oklahoma City. The Caterpillars presented the $250 that they had raised in June at the Walk for Awareness for World Refugee Day to a refugee family from Burundi. Our Service Trip Across America was a mind-blowing, life-changing experience for our Caterpillars and the people we met and encountered along the way! For more details and videos, visit https://www. projectpromisevi. com/impact. Community service is at the heart of our program, and as a result, we focused on helping others all year long. Here in St. Croix the Caterpillars completed a wide variety of service projects. For example, in January we partnered with welding students from the St. Croix Career and Technical Education Center to rehabilitate the playground at the Canegata Ballpark. In May, Project Promise donated a total of $1,500 to two public school libraries, which they will use to create reading corners designed to get kids interested in reading. These funds represented 10% of the proceeds from our 2018 Havana Nights fundraiser. In October, the Caterpillars were at it again! They used profits from making and selling beaded bracelets to pay the school insurance fee for 45 elementary school students, thereby enabling these at-risk students to participate in field trips for the entire school year. Project Promise also impacted children in Tanzania through our fourth annual Toys for Tanzania project. Our Caterpillars are now in High School and it’s so hard to believe! In June, our Caterpillars graduated from Junior High School and as they continue to grow and blossom, Project Promise continues to support them with our regular programming. Throughout the year our group received homework assistance, weekly life coaching sessions, took part in yoga classes and more.

Target demographics: At-risk youth

Direct beneficiaries per year: 800 students

Geographic areas served: St. Croix, U. S. Virgin Islands

Programs: Project Promise’s programs are all about opening doors for our at-risk youth in St. Croix, in order to uplift, educate and empower them. Our holistic approach provides many opportunities for positive change, while our nurturing environment provides a safe place in which youth can get the tools and support they need to live healthier, happier and more successful lives. We provide programs that holistically support and empowers each child. Project Promise currently has four programs: The Caterpillar Project, Salt River Bay’s “Open Outdoors For Kids” Program, the Buck Island "Ticket to Ride" Program and the Excellence & Leadership Recognition Program.