The AKOBEN Foundation, Inc. Email Format
Civic and Social OrganizationsMaryland, United States11-50 Employees
Learn more about our "Reading, Rhythm & the Arts" program at akobenfoundation.org! ABOUT AKOBEN: The AKOBEN Foundation, Incorporated is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that develops urban youth into leaders in order to preserve future outcomes of minority communities. AKOBEN’s work has been highlighted in various television and print media that includes Baltimore's ABC News affiliate, WMAR-TV; Baltimore's Fox News affiliate, WBFF-TV and the Baltimore City Paper. In 2012, The AKOBEN Foundation, Inc. was awarded the Dr. Louise-Jones Johnson achievement award for community service and advocacy. AKOBEN'S PHILOSOPHY: AKOBEN believes that the cycle of poverty in American cities can be broken through education of the current and future generation of young people living in impoverished neighborhoods. We believe a root cause of continuing poverty is the lack of educational achievement, and further believe that the lack of achievement (measured simply by high school graduation rates) is largely due to poor literacy skills that prevent them from fully comprehending educational material as they enter the fourth grade and beyond. We believe that a long-term commitment to improving literacy - involving parents, schools, community outreach, and of course the children themselves - will result in significantly improved graduation rates and ultimately result in a reduction of poverty. AKOBEN'S VISION: We envision a society in which citizens of urban neighborhoods are educated and empowered to lead themselves and their communities toward lives of success and achievement. AKOBEN'S MISSION: Our mission is improve the high school graduation rate of citizens living in impoverished neighborhoods to a level consistent with that of middle class and affluent neighborhoods, through improved literacy and communication skills for children from birth through third grade.