Jacqueline Jackson started Keep It Real Outreach in 2013. Her inspiration came to her as a “message from God” – even the organization’s name came to her in a vision. She shared, “people are always trying to portray themselves a certain way to children and young adults like they’ve never been through anything in their life. If you want to ‘keep it real,’ you want to always be an open book and let them know that you’ve been there before.” Keep It Real is driven by the goal to do their part in making the world a better place for youth while building impactful relationships. Though the organization has a series of initiatives to support youth, they first got started with a mentoring program for young girls which later branched out to become the Londyn Project.
Keep It Real received funding from FLOURISH to assist with running the Londyn Project. The program was designed to help young girls who are ready to engage in sex and support young mothers by providing necessities for their babies. This support includes taking them to and from doctor’s appointments, supplying diapers, wipes, formula, baby clothing, and more. The program also offers monthly parenting classes to teach life skills and healthy habits for moms and babies. Jacqueline explained, “The FLOURISH grant helped me to relax a little bit when I was doing it because I had a little extra money. But it helped me to help more people, and it brought me closer to a group of young women who felt like I felt when I was their age.”
Jacqueline described that one of the most challenging aspects of doing this work is getting the young girls and women to open up and be willing to receive help. Keep It Real is a judgment-free zone where everyone is treated with respect, honesty, and integrity. Jacqueline believes in the importance of stopping to think and listen. At the end of the day, the organization is trying to make a difference; the work must be done through the heart and not just for the recognition of having your name out there. She says, “When I tell those girls I love them, I genuinely love them. When I tell their kids I love them, I genuinely love them. When I tell them I’m with you for the rest of your life, I mean that. I want them to know that what we do, we do from the heart. We do it with a purpose, which is to change lives. We may not change everybody we touch, but I guarantee we’re going to change at least two or three of those people. We are just trying to help the community be the change we want to see, and we must realize that change starts with you.”
To get involved or contribute, visit https://www.keepitrealyouth.org/ or their Facebook page. You can also reach out via email at [email protected] or by phone at 314-202-4054.
Learn more about Keep It Real Youth Outreach’s FLOURISH grant-funded project, “The Londyn Project.”