HEY!’s mission is to inspire, motivate, and mobilize young people to take action that changes their world.
Helping Empower Youth (HEY!) exists to prove that a young person’s zip code should not determine their outcome.
We serve Black male youth (but open to all) on Atlanta’s Westside who are navigating poverty, school pushout, and limited access to opportunity. Each year, we walk alongside 150+ young people as a community that refuses to let them fall through the cracks.
Our core programs include:
HEY! Homestead – Teaching agriculture, sustainability, and environmental responsibility through urban farming, beekeeping, and composting.
HEY! Just Business – A youth entrepreneurship lab where young people build and launch real products and brands.
HEY! Empowered Leaders – Leadership development and public speaking training rooted in agency of voice, confidence, and advocacy.
The HEY! House – A safe haven offering meals, laundry, clothing, showers, mentorship, and rest, because basic dignity is not optional.
Impact at a glance since our start:
8 out of 10 participants increase school engagement and decrease behavioral referrals.
Hundreds of pounds of produce grown and distributed through youth-led gardens.
95% of graduating seniors in our program have transitioned into employment, college, or trade pathways.
Hundreds of community volunteer hours mobilized each year, many led by youth themselves.
HEY! doesn’t just provide services, but we build self-sustaining young leaders who become contributors rather than statistics.