AN OPEN DOOR MISSION STATEMENT
An Open Door is a non-profit 501 (c) 3 organization that prepares at-risk youth for adulthood by providing academic, social and cultural programs that foster life skills development. We strive to instill core values such as personal accountability, social responsibility and a commitment to the pursuit of excellence in every area of life.
An Open Door’s success has been made possible by the collective effort of sponsors, educators and parents who share the common goal of meeting the educational and social needs of inner city youth while providing a spiritual background from which they can draw strength. Although our organization is Christian-based, we welcome diversity by embracing and supporting families of every faith and culture.
AN OPEN DOOR FACT SHEET
~An Open Door was founded in December 2001 by former Los Angeles Unified School District teacher M. Makeda Murray as a direct response to the lack of academic and extracurricular resources available to students in Los Angeles’ over-crowded and under-funded inner-city schools.
~An Open Door employs a three-pronged approach targeting academic, social and cultural needs to prepare school-aged students for life as successful adults.
~Annually, the organization provides academic, social and cultural services to more than 200 at-risk youth and their families.
~An Open Door’s academic curriculum includes mentoring, educational games and contests, and intense tutoring designed to improve students’ performance on standardized college preparatory tests such as the SAT, ACT and the CAHSEE (California High School Exit Exam). In the Fall of 2010 we will be expanding our tutoring program to serve the community in a greater way.
~An Open Door’s social development programming aids students and their families in championing community service campaigns in an effort to foster a greater sense of social responsibility.
~Cultural exchange programs through An Open Door educate both African-American and Latino students about their respective heritages, and promote inclusion, understanding and goodwill between Los Angeles’ diverse communities.
~Special events such as An Open Door’s Dedicated Parent Exchange and Jingle Bash holiday celebration offer students and parents rare opportunities to fellowship and build stronger bonds within the family unit.
ORGANIZATIONAL HISTORY
In the fall of 2000, Makeda Murray walked into her classroom at Figueroa Street Elementary School in South Central Los Angeles, where she met a room full of 4th graders, who according to statistics, were doomed to a life to poverty and crime. But where others saw despair, she saw hope – and endless possibilities – in the eyes of 28 nine year olds. That day, she promised her students that she would do her best to help them graduate from college and achieve their goals. As a result, in December of 2001 Ms. Murray started a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization called An Open Door (AOD) to encourage her students and other inner city youth to strive for excellence in spite of the many challenges they face.
An Open Door’s kick-off special event was an elementary school graduation celebration in June of 2002. The event boasted more than 100 attendees, and the students were rewarded for their stellar academic achievements with graduation gifts, certificates and a festival-style celebration.
As the organization continued to grow, quarterly programs and special events designed to motivate students to be academically and socially responsible soon followed. An Open Door’s annual back-to-school event– RETURNING-TO-LEARNING –helps prepare students in the fall for academic success throughout the school year. Additional highly successful special events include An Open Door’s signature holiday celebration JINGLE BASH and the FUN-IN-THE-SUN summer jamboree.
In the fall of 2005, An Open Door launched a two-pronged, life and academic skills development tutoring program. The academic component targets four specific areas, including: college preparatory curriculum, career planning, and peak performance on standardized tests like the CAHSEE (California High School Exit Exam), and the SAT/ACT. Similarly, the social component promotes life and social skills development by educating youth about diverse cultures and exposing them to experiences outside their normal comfort zones.
Beyond academic and social skills development, An Open Door helps young people building stronger family relationships. Programs like the quarterly DEDICATED PARENTS EXCHANGE provide adults with a forum to discuss the various issues facing young people, and encourage parents to be active participants in their children’s lives.
As part of an effort to instill the value of an earnest commitment to community service in students, An Open Door provides many opportunities for youth to give back. During the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the youth of An Open Door sold 2000 candy bars to raise $1000 for the children of New Orleans. Families who were temporarily displaced as a result of Hurricane Katrina were among the specially invited guests in attendance at Jingle Bash 2005. Additionally An Open Door has partnered with BrittiCares International, a non-profit organization serving children with cancer, to support two of their biggest annual events with youth volunteers!
Within 8 short years, An Open Door has emerged as a favorite charity of notable global brands such as: Gifts In Kind International, McDonald’s, Wal-Mart, Office Depot, Mattel Toys, DreamWorks, US Doctors For Africa, JetBlue Airways and Random House Publishers, among others. In addition to the generous support of many corporations, organizations and philanthropists, An Open Door’s success may be credited to a host of dedicated volunteers, supporters and a very talented Board of Directors.
For more information about An Open Door, please visit our website at www.anopendoor-la.org. You may also contact M. Makeda Murray, Founder/Director, at (323) 903-6420, or via email at makeda.murray@anopendoor-la.org.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
M. Makeda Murray, Founder/Chairman
Mica Eades
Brenda Evans
Natam Laurent
Jerome Miller
Cynathya Mouton
Tangie Murray
Ronald & Rwanda Reese
Teryl Warren
