From the CEO

We all create ripples in the world as we live our lives. My mother made a ripple when she put my brother, Shareef, and me into a better school when we were young. That opportunity allowed us to seize a moment to create and build the Future Foundation – our ripple in the community we came from. Now, the idea of the Future Foundation is poised to transform into one of the single-most disruptive forces against poverty in America.

We built the Future foundation on the idea of creating ripples that build upon themselves to form a wave. Create enough waves in the right direction and you see a tide that carries us all on to bigger and brighter shores. That concept has allowed us to grown from a staff of 2 and a limited budget in 2004 to a staff of more than 40 with a $2.5M annual budget today.

That success enabled us to win a $4.5M federal grant this year that we’ll be putting to work over the next five years to conduct research and devise a plan to scale the success of second family model we created here to other communities, schools and school districts around the state and eventually across the country and beyond.

This is one of those unique, once in a lifetime opportunities not just for the Future Foundation, but a chance to really take the things we’ve proven work and change the world. To truly begin to disrupt the cycle of poverty in America.

– Qaadirah Abdur-Rahim, CEO

I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples. - Mother Theresa

Priority: Education

Since 2007, in a community that graduates fewer than half of it’s high school students every one of Future Foundation’s students have graduated with more than 90% going on to post-secondary study of one kind or another

100% GRADUATION RATE

A State of Becoming

Growing a disruptive solution to poverty in America

The Future Foundation is committed to disrupting the way poverty has historically been addressed nationwide and leading a revolutionary, data-driven effort against the core causes of poverty in America. It is dedicated to the vision of a world without poverty beginning in the neighborhoods surrounding Atlanta where it serves a great need.

Poverty is not about being poor. Being poor is a symptom of a condition stemming from measurable causes:

  • Lack of access to quality education
  • Overwhelmingly single-parent environment
  • Lack of opportunity, mentors and inspiration
  • Ubiquitous violence
  • Lack of access to healthcare
  • Teen pregnancy
  • Lack of access to quality nutrition

We work to raise expectations, expand our students’ frame of reference, and teach young people to recognize the possibilities they may have never understood existed for them academically, socially and professionally.  Quite simply, we try to fill in some of the normal activities traditional families provide.

Wars of nations are fought to change maps. But wars of poverty are fought to map change. - Muhammad Ali

Achievements

2021 By The Numbers

Since 2004, the Future Foundation of Atlanta has been proving success in its data-driven approach to the eradication of poverty. Founded in 2004 by East Point native, Shareef Abdur-Rahim and under the direction of his sister, CEO, Qaadirah Abdur-Rahim, The Future Foundation has grown leaps and bounds since 2004.

High School Students

Improved at least 1 letter grade

78%

In ENGLISH

61%

In MATH

Middle School Students

Improved at least 1 letter grade

69%

In LANGUAGE ARTS

74%

In MATH

Improved Life Skills

77%

IMPROVED

Parenting and Relationship Skills

73%

BELIEVE MARRIAGE

Is a Realistic Option Where They Did Not Before

88%

DECREASED

Levels of Risky Behavior

85%

IMPROVED

Job, Employment and Financial Skills

91%

IMPROVED

Family Parenting and Relationship skills

We’re battling the statistics. We’re shifting the data. We’re building a new, more effective paradigm. - Qaadira Abdur-Rahim, CEO

What’s Next?

Our Formula for Disrupting Poverty:

LOVE + LEARNING + LEADERSHIP = #code100

 

The same way that Uber disrupted transportation. The same way Airbnb disrupted travel. We are operationalizing a second-family model designed to make the most of existing resources.

Uber didn’t build a new fleet of taxis to deliver its service. It devised a way to mobilize people who already own cars to deliver a relevant, valued service to their customers.

Airbnb didn’t build thousands of hotel rooms. They connected people who wanted to rent out rooms to people who wanted to stay in interesting places at an affordable rate. They disrupted conventional thinking and reinvented an industry.

We in the nonprofit world so often get absorbed into “good works” thinking. And there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s what drives us internally.

But it’s the disruptive ideas that can drive growth and success and real change in the world. It’s happening in the for-profit world, why can’t it happen in the non-profit one? Why can’t we disrupt poverty?

We are building the technological capabilities to organize data from our own Second Family concept and research to capture specific and actionable information from our students. With the most relevant and accurate data, we are analyzing information to develop new insights for improving student’s lives. By placing the second family model in enough school clusters where poverty is prevalent, our ecosystems will build the intelligence and approaches necessary to disrupt poverty in America.

I believe that if you show people the problems and you show them the solutions, they will be moved to act. - Bill Gates, Philanthropist

2021 Financials Summary

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  • Salaries and Wages

  • Program Services

  • Contractor Services

  • Subcontractor Services

  • Facilities

  • Nonprogram Expenses

  • Data Support

  • Training

  • Travel

Poverty does not belong in modern, human society. It's proper place is in a museum. - Muhammad Yanus, Nobel Laureate

Our Locations

REEF HOUSE LEARNING CENTER (5th-7th grades)
1892 Washington Road, East Point, GA 30344

REEF HOUSE TEEN CENTER (8th-12th grades)
Brady Recreation Center
3571 Breningham Drive, College Park, GA 30337

RealTalk ATL
Benjamin E. Mays High School
3450 Benjamin Mays Dr. SW, Atlanta, GA 30331

Benjamin Banneker High School
5540 Feldwood Rd, College Park, GA 30349

Douglass High School
225 Hamilton E. Holmes Dr., Atlanta, GA 30318

Hapeville Career Academy
6045 Buffington Road, Atlanta, GA 30349

Tri-Cities High School
2575 Harris Street, East Point, GA 30344

PARENT CONNECT
Welcome All Recreation Center
4255 Will Lee Road, College Park, GA 30349

Our Board Members

Julius “Shareef” Abdur-Rahim
Director of Player Personnel, Sacramento Kings – Founder

Eric L. Barnum, Esq.
Partner, Schiff Hardin LLP- Board Chairman

Delicia Abdur-Rahim, J.D.
Couture With A Cause – Member At Large

Lisa Robinson
Broker, Robinson Realty Group

Kristina R. Jones, Esq.
Schiff Hardin LLP – Board Secretary

Brant Ferrell
Tax Partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP – Fund Development Co-Chair

The Honorable Ceasar C. Mitchell
Atlanta City Council, DLA Piper

Imara Canady
Area Development Director, UNCF – Atlanta Regional Office

Chuck Kinnebrew
Former Sr. Director of Indirect Procurement, The Home Depot – Strategic Planning Chair

Meagan Fulmer
Chief Development Officer, Arthritis Foundation – Fund Development Co-Chair

George Buchanan
National Account Manager, Siemens – Finance Chair

Our Partners

RHLC/TC/C4C
Academix through Hip Hop
Action Ministries: Smart Lunch, Smart Kids
Atlanta Junior Bridge
Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Hawks
Atlanta Junior Bridge
Banneker High School
BMW of South Atlanta
Brain Balance
Campus College Tours
Chef Jarvis Belton, Global Comfort
City of Atlanta Summer Food Program
City of College Park Recreation Department – Wayman & Bessie Brady Recreation Center
Fulton County Board of Education
Fulton Leadership Academy
Georgia Tech University
Hapeville Charter
Hapeville Career Academy
Hilton Atlanta Airport
Janet Prioleau Interiors
Junior Achievement Fellows
Microsoft Corporate Office – Alpharetta
Microsoft Retail Store Lenox Mall
MODA (Museum of Design Atlanta)
Paul D. West
Radio One: Kiss 107.5 and Hot 107.9
SCAD Atlanta
South West Airlines
Sublime Doughnuts
Sun Trust Bank
Tri-Cities High School
United Way
The University of Georgia Cooperative Extension, Georgia 4-H Cooperative Extension
Woodland Middle School
RealTalk ATL
Banneker High School
College Park Public Safety Facility
Douglass High School
Grady High School
Hapeville Charter Career Academy
HJC Bowden Senior Multipurpose Facility
Holiday Inn Express – College Park
Kings Manor
Liveoak Baptist Church
Mays High School
South Fulton Human Service Coalition (SFHS)
Tri-Cities High School
Parent Connect
Banneker High School
Eden Village
HJC Bowden Senior Multipurpose Facility
Mary Hall Freedom House
Parents As Partners Academic Center (PAPAC)
Tri-Cities High School
Zaxby’s (Flat Shoals Road, College Park, Georgia)
Project R.E.S.T.O.R.E.
Atlanta Workforce Development Agency
American Dream Housing
City of Atlanta Summer Food Program
Department of Juvenile Justice Multi-Service Center
Fulton County Accountability Court
Fulton County Drug Court
Fulton County Juvenile Court
Heavenly Body Products
Open Source Entertainment Media Minds (MM) Internship Program
Street Smart (Wholistic Stress Control Institute)
Thrive Employment Services
United Way’s Fatherhood Program
West End Family and Life Community Center

Our Supporters

$25,000 or More
Shareef & Delicia Abdur-Rahim
Administration for Children and Families
Fulton County Department of Housing and
Human Services – FRESH
Georgia Department of Education – 21st
Century Community Learning Centers
Georgia Department of Human Services
Governor’s Office of Children and Families
Mid-Atlantic Network of Youth and
Family Services
United Way of Greater Atlanta
U.S. Department of Education
$5,000-24,999
Couture with a Cause
Betty & Davis Fitzgerald Foundation
John & Mary Franklin Foundation
Newell Rubbermaid
UPS Foundation
Wells Fargo Foundation
$1,000-4,999
Brant & Carla Ferrell
Rick & Patrice Frazier
Georgia Center for Nonprofits (SunTrust
Georgia Gives Day Challenge match
funding)
Kristina & Andrew Jones
Robert & Denise Kinnebrew
The Home Depot (match funding)
Michael Mattison
Once for All Trust
Dan C. Smith
Alison Umminger
$500-999
Eric & Daisy Barnum
Betsy Dixon
Deborah Hester
Jeff & Anne Neikirk
Lisa Robinson
Gifford Shriver
$499 or Less
Aalia Abdur-Rahim
Amir & Arianne Abdur-Rahim
Muhammad & Noel Abdur-Rahim
Qaadirah Abdur-Rahim
Mary Claire Allvine
Hollis Anthony
Vergil & Georgette Anthony
Dr. Judy Atwater
Nia B.
Siddiq Bello
Loretta Benbow
Dominica Bowser
Jerald Brantley
Valencia Brock
Virginia Brown
George Buchanan
Lisa Burkard
Bland Byrne
Sabrina Callahan
Eveline Campbell
Kimberly Campbell
Imara Canady
Donna Cash
Eddrena Clark
The Collaborative Firm, LLC
Takisha Colbert
Jonathan Cowan
Charlie Cunningham
Dr. Rebecca Dashiell-Mitchell
Pamela Davis
Alok Deshpande
Shay Design
Lissahn DeVance
Diane Dickson
Lis Downes
Dustin Ducham
Hilluard & Erma Echols
Toddrick Echols
Rose Ellzy
Takisha Franklin
Linda Friedrich
Janet Gagilano
Robert Gallagher
Michele Garren
Alan Gershenhorn
Lillie Ghant
Jerry & Linda Lou Gillen
Angela Goggins
Tanica Gordon
Erin Graham
Brittany N. Gray
Timothy Grier
Mattie Jean Hall-Melton
Alicia Hancock
Veronica Hammonds
Tamiko Harley
Tasjohn Harley
Health Plus Trans, LLC
Hicks and Son Junk Removal, LLC
Rhonda Hight
Kimberley Holloway
Earl & Susan Holtzclaw
Caroline Hughley
Toi James
Anne Jasper
Cortez Jenkins
Brenda Johnson
Darnell Johnson
Sylvester Johnson
Mary F. Jones
Sandra Jordan
Keeshan Justice
Michael Kelly
Rob & Lora Kight
Omar Kinnebrew
Robert Kinnebrew
Byron Lambert
Nat A. Long
Kendrick Lucas
Angela Lyons
Anthony Lyons
Glenda Lyons
Joyce Mace
Alex Maddox
James Mallard
Sandra Marrongelli
Tammie Mays
Laura McAllister
Audrey McCauley
Jaleesa McCutcheon
Kim McDougall
32 33
Sonny McQueen, Jr.
Ceasar Mitchell
Tara Mitchell (Microsoft match)
Josh Montgomery
Jacqueline Moore (Club of Hearts
match)
Melita Moore
Norvell Moore
Harold & Joyce Moon
Lucy Motley
Shaunae Motley
Sophia Nash
Eddie Newsom
Ann O’Connell
Christopher Patterson
Raven Payne
Brian D. Poe
Dave & Betsy Polstra
Christine A. Rector
Joe & Karen Reinkemeyer
Sonja Rodgers
Donna Rooks
Jean Ross
Ashley Samuel
John Schlafly
Robert Shull
Deborah Smith
Gary Smith
Henrietta Strong
Eddie Taylor
Sam Taylor
Toshia Thomas
M. Nikki Thornton
William Thompkins
Danyeal Wade
Tracy Wade
David Warren
Daryl & April Watkins
Sylvia Webb
Geri Williams
Laurel Ann Wilson
Keith & Sylvia Wright
Rhonda Zigler

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