CLUB ESTEEM

Club Esteem is a community focused non-profit that believes every child deserved the opportunity to dream of and create a life beyond their current circumstances... Club Esteem was founded in 1991 by Ms. Gladys Williams (pictured above), a grandmother who was alarmed by the challenges facing young people in her South Melbourne neighborhood near Lipscomb Park Community Center. Ms. Williams recognized the difficulty of youth making positive choices while living in a community struggling with crime, drug use, unemployment, teen pregnancy, and elevated school dropout rates. While many may have given up hope, Ms. Williams, her close friend Ms. Dorothy "Dot" Linson, and others believed that the efforts of a few could change the direction of the youth in and around their community. In the spring of 1991, they began a "club" for children guided by Ms. Williams belief that "all youth can achieve success with a solid educational foundation and caring adult relationships." The youth chose the..

Primary location: Melbourne United States