Pickup the Ball Inc

Transitioning from being a boy to a man is hard; it's even harder when you don't have a father in your house. Pickup the Ball was founded in 2012 recognizing the need for young men growing up in financially stressed areas for support, guidance, and resources to assist them before they got into trouble. Since then our organization has touched the lives of scores of young men. 

To be clear, not every young man we work with lacks a father, and not every young man is a success story. We are working with, in many cases, extreme poverty, children raising children, violent neighborhoods, drug and gang culture, and family environments that bring additional stress to young men who are the man of the house. Through mentoring, group and individual conversation, workshops, events and trips, we connect with young men looking to improve their lives. 

Athletics is the way we connect, but they are looking for more than time on the court or the field. They are looking for adults to invest their time in them. This new boarding house addresses a critical ongoing need with the same population with whom we have been working. This transitional housing experience will allow these young men to prepare better, both personally and financially, to be successful in advancing to the next step in their lives - independence. 

Housing exists for those who are in recovery programs or other major life events. They are commonly referred to as halfway houses. But few if any options exist to provide a similar experience for a young man who has not gone that far down the wrong path, but still needs extra support at a critical time in their lives. The Pickup the Ball Boarding House is a vehicle that enables us to offer that support to those who are in urgent need of housing, or who are trying to remove themselves from a negative or dangerous environment, or who simply want a more positive one. 

The intention is not to make money, nor is it to lose money. Our intention is to operate and serve, and any surpluses will be reinvested in our facility and program