The Mu Lambda Foundation sponsored a Beautillion program for many years. This program mentored African American male high school students in three areas – social skills, college preparedness and scholarships. Through workshops on weekends, the Foundation utilized professionals to lead efforts in SAT preparation, college selection, improvement in academic skills, enhancing employment opportunities, resume writing, interviewing techniques and career/skill matchups. These workshops were conducted over a 16-week period culminating in a formal dance and scholarship awards. Former “Beau” were brought back to reinforce the training of workshop instructors in various academic sessions. Scholarship awards were increased by the addition of matching funds from government and private sources. The amount of scholarships awarded exceeds $310,000.

The current programs include two with DC male students in grades 6 – 12. The focus with middle school students is pregnancy prevention, mentoring, encouragement to remain in school and social responsibility. The Callis Academy for high schoolers emphasizes college preparedness, identification of career options, college tours, improvement of academic skills, and societal responsibility. Utilizing members of Mu Lambda Foundation as role models, the continuity of support is paramount – working with 25 – 50 young men through the formative years of ages 12 – 18.

The Mu Lambda Foundation also works with the women of the House of Ruth by serving the residents gourmet, freshly prepared, hot meals monthly. The work is designed to encourage self-appreciation. Other activities with the House of Ruth include donating gifts at Christmas and makeup and hair styling sessions.

Other programs of the Mu Lambda Foundation include establishment of a library in the First Street headquarters, brokering larger scholarship awards thru appropriate entities, expanding the Callis Academy to more District of Columbia schools, connecting with government agencies on behalf of those in need, Youth Court and many others as funding becomes available.

EDUCATION - SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING

Mu Lambda Foundation, Inc. strives to elevate the quality of education for children in need of a permanent, and sustainable basis. We seek partners in ending illiteracy and try to collaborate with as many as possible to extend our reach to all sectors of the community. These collaborations help us reach thousands of children who are now able to experience the joy of reading and owning new books. Our partners make it possible for us to lead the way in providing new digital content as well, so that those that we serve, particularly the children, will have access to reading as new technology unfolds. In doing so, we address their need on several fronts.

PROJECT ALPHA

THE YOUTH COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

This is a recent foundation initiative. In conjunction with a retired Superior Court Judge and a law professor at the University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law, the foundation works to assist in preventing the incarceration and victimization of youth. The Youth Court of the District of Columbia, one of the only organizations dealing with juvenile delinquency in Washington, D.C. is an essential organization providing diversion programming, i.e., an alternative to incarceration in the prison system, for DC.’s troubled youth. The foundation’s goal is to provide space to host hearings, remain in contact with the District of Columbia Police Department, District of Columbia Attorney General, and United States Department of Justice, to ensure youth are referred to the program rather than the judicial system. The foundation will provide mentors for the youth in an effort to offer positive alternatives to the judicial system.

An anti-teen pregnancy program oriented to males. It is designed to provide education, motivation and skill-building on issues of responsibility, relationships, teen pregnancy, and sexually transmitted diseases for young males ages 12-15 years. The program exposes young men to current and accurate information about teen pregnancy prevention through a series of workshops and informational sessions conducted at a local high school.

The three goals of the project are:

1. Sharing knowledge through combating ignorance, and fear with factual information
2. Changing attitudes by providing motivation toward positive changes in sexual behavior, and
3. Providing skills by creating a sense of empowerment and self-esteem.

COLLEGE READINESS PROGRAM

This program, concentrates on the importance of completing secondary and collegiate education as a road to advancement. Statistics have shown the value that this extra impetus in making the difference in the success of young African-American men, given that school completion is the single best predictor of future economic success. Through the college readiness educational initiative, young men receive information and learn strategies that facilitate success. Members of the foundation lead in providing youth participants with excellent role models to emulate. This effort is facilitated through our adopt a high school program.

MENTORING

Mu Lambda Foundation’s Beautillion Program

This program was established and successfully operated for more than 17 years. Since its inception it has mentored approximately 200 young men and provided approximately $310,000 in scholarships. The foundation has sponsored more than 215 workshops, using at least 50 different pro-bono presenters.

The program has maintained relationships with graduates well into and past their college years, monitoring their progress and accomplishments. Many past participants return annually to provide advice and encouragement to current program participants. Youth who participated in the program formed lasting supportive bonds with the mentors and among themselves. The relationships developed through this program served as a great source of motivation throughout participants’ college experiences. This program focused on developing social skills, interpersonal relationships and critical thinking. The major facets of the Beautillion program are now melded into the Henry Arthur Callis Academy.

THE HENRY ARTHUR CALLIS ACADEMY

The academy is a comprehensive, self-empowering college readiness program designed to support African American young men who live in the District of Columbia. Young men from surrounding areas who demonstrate an interest are not arbitrarily denied admission.

The Henry Arthur Callis Academy, formerly the Beautillion Program, is conducted at Frank Ballou Senior High School (SHS), where the foundation sponsors monthly meetings with students. Foundation members and Ballou SHS staff address college preparedness, mentoring, job shadowing, college visits and social interactions. The Foundation has a five-year strategic plan that will create opportunities to positively impact rates of success for these students to continue their upward trajectory with positive academic and social experiences in middle and high school, through high school graduation, college entrance, and college completion. When fully executed, our strategic plan will provide a full range of Academy experiences and activities for African American young men in grades 9-12.

Because Hart Middle School is a feeder school for Ballou SHS, the Henry Arthur Callis Academy works with the same students from grades 6 though 12. The academy’s strategic plan calls for expansion of these programs to additional schools throughout the District of Columbia.

FAMILY SERVICES

The foundation is also involved in providing family services for the indigent, sponsoring Holiday toy drives for children. It addresses hunger in the Washington, DC area by its gifts to Martha’s Table, So Others Might Eat (SOME), Project Give Back, and the Capital Area Food Bank.

It also sponsors self-defense classes for women, led by volunteers and discussions on mental health and male health issues such as Prostate health, an important topic for black men.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

The foundation supports The House of Ruth which is an institution that works to try to protect battered women from domestic violence and gives them a place to reside while they strive to put their lives in order and resume their roles in society. The foundation sponsors monthly meals prepared by members of the foundation. The Foundation also provide entertainment, self-defense workshops, female items and clothing. The relationship has been so beneficial to them that the Foundation was recognized by the House of Ruth as an integral part of their programming.

VOTER EDUCATION

The voter education is nonpartisan. Its goal is to address a period when many Americans had the right to vote but were prevented from voting because of poll taxes, threats of reprisal, and lack of education about the voting process. The foundation sponsors voter education and registration irrelevant of party affiliation.

HEALTH AND WELLNESS

The Mu Lambda Foundation, Inc. - is committed to improving the health and wellness of the children and adults in our community. It is working with its partners to provide mobile oral health screening to children in the District of Columbia. In addition to oral screenings, the foundation assists and /or supports in providing oral health care videos, information kits, and information assistance on Dental Care providers and insurance.

Other community programs supported by the Mu Lambda Foundation, Inc. include; The March of Dimes, March for Babies, and HIV-AIDS Awareness, annual outdoor fitness events, and women self-defense workshops.

FOUNDATION AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

• Mu Lambda Foundation, Inc. was selected by the Washington Award Program for the 2020 Best of Washington Award in the Philanthropy Category.
• Mu Lambda Foundation was awarded the 2019 - Special Appreciation Award from the House of Ruth