Foster Care & Underserved Freshman get an
HBCU Dorm Room makeover of a lifetime
An Initiative of Project Dreamlight, 501c3
Info Deck for
Contact: Amber Aziza
(The "Don" of Corporate Partnerships)
Amber@ProjectDreamlight.org
202.394.7713
Table of Contents
From The Godfather's Desk
From The Godfather's Desk
Our Synergy
Our Synergy
freshmen move-in Challenges
freshmen move-in Challenges
How The Container Store Can Help
How The Container Store Can Help
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(continued)
(continued)
meet our "Godfather"
meet our "Godfather"
Let's Get Together
Let's Get Together
FROM THE DESK OF THE GODFATHER
1
“I was a foster care kid. When I went to my HBCU, my social worker drove me to campus, pulled up to the curb, let me unload my stuff and then just left me. I was so lost.”
It was July 2020. That’s the moment the game changed for me and I knew I would spend the next few years, if not the rest of my life, making sure no student who had already beat the odds to go to college, would ever go through this transition alone.
I was sitting off to the side listening to one of the 2020 HBCU grads be interviewed by a reporter for “CBS News With Norah O’Donnell,” about participating in “#TeeJHBCUBingo,” another one of my HBCU projects I’d produced the previous month.
As a proud Howard University graduate, the same HBCU that educated the first woman Vice-President Of The United States, Kamala Harris, I simply couldn’t wrap my head around someone just leaving a kid to figure out this huge life transition alone. Transitioning to college can already be scary when you have family supporting you but I had never once considered the population of students who do it all alone.
It shook me. College move-in day should be thrilling with excited anticipation of a new life adventure.
So there, under the awning of the CBS studios on that hot Atlanta day, Move-In Day Mafia was born…in my heart at least.
As someone who wakes up every day praying to be a S.A.P. (Somebody’s Answered Prayer,) It took TWO YEARS for me to see how I could be a S.A.P. for students who have aged out of foster care, are homeless, or have little to no financial support.
BUT I DID IT…AND NOT BY MYSELF!
Thanks to the generosity of like-minded donors and two corporate partners, Trade & Travel and Nikki Klugh Design Group, in August 2022, we helped 13 freshmen start their college journey at Paul Quinn College in Dallas, TX.
Instead of thoughts of insecurity, their story was full of joy as they entered their new dorm rooms for the first time. They received spaces created by celebrity interior designer Nikki Klugh, a TV, refrigerator, microwave, hygiene essentials, cleaning products, and special touches with the individual scholar in mind. Plus, we sent care packages throughout the year.
AND WE’RE JUST GETTING STARTED!
For the 2023-2024 school year, we’ve upped the ante. We are ambitiously in hot pursuit of moving in THIRTY-NINE freshmen across multiple HBCUs: Fisk (Nashville, TN,) Paul Quinn (Dallas, TX) and Prairie View A&M (Near Houston, TX).
Will you help us and join the mafia? The kind of “mafia” that still takes care of its own…but in a good way. 😜
We need organizations that have made a commitment to be present in underserved communities, who pursue philanthropic partners, and who know there is no more significant ROI than investing in, nurturing and impacting the path of a child who simply needs a shot. Your help can change the trajectory of scholars who just need a bit of hope to get to the finish line. We could use monetary and in-kind donations plus employee-volunteers that can be on-site to help with the actual move-ins.
On the following pages, you will learn more about our mission, why this particular population needs YOU, what we’ve already managed to accomplish with our small beginnings, and how you can get involved in the movement of disrupting the “Foster Care to Prison Pipeline” and transforming it into the “Foster Care to HBCU GRADUATE Pipeline.
#TeeJSkipsOffNow
The "Godfather"
OUR ORIGINS
OUR SYNERGY
Our founder, an Emmy-winning TV Editor & Producer never saw herself as anything but that. Yet, she was sparked to change careers and start a nonprofit.
Your founders never saw themselves in retail but were sparked by an idea of storage and organization.
In 2020, your CEO signed the CEO Action Pledge for Diversity & Inclusion and wrote "we focus on causes that are important to our employees and customers, and that align with our COMMITMENT to making a lasting social and economic impact in those communities."
In 2020, our Mafia founder discovered that although 70% of kids in foster care have a DREAM to go to college, only 3% see their dream realized and only 1% make it to graduation.
She made the COMMITMENT to intervene in a way that could make a lasting social and economic impact on the students who have overcome the odds to attend HBCUs.
OUR COMMITMENTS
&
OUR PARTNER
In February 2022, you announced your partnership to bring organization to the Paul Quinn College campus store.
INTRODUCING...
INTRODUCING...
In August 2022, we were right behind you and launched our inaugural move-in day at Paul Quinn by providing dorm room makeovers for 13 freshmen who had little to no financial support.
And we jump-started our shopping for them at our designer's favorite store--The Container Store!
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MoveInDayMafia.org
An initiative of
No family, no one to lean on, and no place to confidently call home.
But despite the challenges, these kids STILL DREAM just like everybody else.
Imagine how different their lives would be if we actually supported their dreams…
70% of kids in foster care say that they dream of attending college…
Less than 3% of kids in foster care go to college and 1% graduate
Did You
Know That...
Over 50% of kids in foster care spend some time in prison
20% of kids who age out of foster care become IMMEDIATELY homeless
FOSTER CARE REALiTY
ENTER THE
MOVE-IN DAY
3
Mafia
The Move-In Day Mafia (MIDM) is a mob of volunteers who descend upon HBCUs to provide dorm room makeovers and ongoing assistance primarily for freshmen who have aged out of foster care, are homeless, or have little to no support. For the 2023-2024 school year, MIDM will take care of 39 freshmen who will attend Fisk University, Prairie View A&M, and Paul Quinn College and…
WE NEED YOUR HELP!!
To Partner With The Mafia, Contact
Amber@ProjectDreamlight.org
FRESHMEN MOVE iN DAY
Can you imagine what it feels like to watch your roommate's family joyfully unpacking a mountain of supplies and essentials on move-in day while you sit across the room with no one and barely anything to unload? This is the harsh reality for hundreds of young adults aging out of the Foster Care system and entering HBCUs, every year.
Designed by Nikki Klugh Design Group
An anticipated next step in life that soon-to-be HBCU students can’t wait to experience!
FRESHMEN MOVE IN DAY
IS AN EXCITING TIME FOR MOST!
Designed by Nikki Klugh Design Group
BUT...
4
5
WHY THE MAFiA iS NEEDED
I feel really blessed for the opportunity like this. It's a weight taken up off of you to not have to worry about certain things when you already have to worry about school.
Joanna
Move-In Day Mafia Scholar 2022
"We desired to partner with MIDM because TeeJ has pioneered a UNIQUE and INNOVATIVE SOLUTION to a problem that we, as an organization, are committed to solving. Their demographic of students are amongst the highest age group who are impacted by domestic violence and housing instability. So we are thrilled to support their mission of being a valuable resource to help these scholars achieve their dreams."
Lavon Morris Grant
National Resource Center on Domestic Violence
Getting the dorm room makeover was such a big surprise and took a lot of pressure off of me. Transitioning to college is already scary but because Move-In Day Mafia had my back, I could fully concentrate on my studies.
Taylor
Move-In Day Mafia Scholar 2022
During our inaugural year in 2022, thanks to our donors and corporate partners, Trade & Travel, Nikki Klugh Design Group, and NJ Luke Publishing, we moved in 13 Freshmen at Paul Quinn College and provided them with care packages throughout the school year. Now, we are expanding to 39 freshmen for 2023!
WHAT HAVE WE ACCOMPLISHED?
HOW CAN HELP
6
For the 2023-2024 School Year, our students are located in
✅ Nashville, TN ✅ Dallas, TX ✅ Houston, TX
with 13 scholars at each HBCU.
OPTION 1 | $25,000 - $50,000 |
OPTION 2 | In-Kind Donations & Services |
OPTION 3 | Volunteers |
OPTION 4 | Customized Combo |
Through your generous in-kind product and service donations, your organization will play an integral role in the Move-In Day Mafia initiative. These valuable contributions not only cater to the immediate needs of the scholars but also affirm your belief in these students' potential, providing a stepping stone to their successful futures.
With a commitment to community support, The Container Store can provide a significant boost to the Move-In Day Mafia's mission by sending in their team as volunteers, aiding in dorm room makeovers, and giving these scholars a stronger senseof belonging, reinforcing that they aren't just moving into a dorm, they're stepping into a brighter future.
Let's chat and come up with a WIN/WIN
Amber@ProjectDreamlight.org
Covers Move-In costs + Monthly Care Packages for 13 Scholars In Each City
WHO IS THE
MOVE-IN DAY MAFIA?
WHO IS THE
MOVE-IN DAY MAFIA?
As an initiative of Project Dreamlight (501c3), we are a tight-knit crew of diverse individuals, united by a common cause. Like the infamous mafia, we've joined forces to take care of our own. We are the HBCU community's very own "family" and we are on a mission to disrupt the detrimental "Foster Care to Prison" pipeline and replace it with a new path - the "Foster care to HBCU graduate pipeline."
WHAT DO
WE DO?
WHAT DO
WE DO?
WHO WE ARE
STAY CONNECTED
With the student for 4 years and cheer them on so they aren't met with silence on graduation day
BOLDLY DESCEND
On HBCU campuses with the sole goal of eliminating lonely transitions to
college
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PROVIDE
A custom dorm room design created by Nikki Klugh Design Group plus hygiene, cleaning products, & essentials
2023-2024 MiSSiON
This year we are supporting
39 scholars at 3 HBCUs
Houston, TX
Nashville, TN
Dallas, TX
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With your support, each scholar
will get:
A customized dorm room design created by the celebrity interior design firm
Nikki Klugh Design Group including:
- Rug
- Linens
- Wall Art
- Storage Trunk
- Storage Containers
- Hangers
- Towels
- Refrigerator*
- Microwave*
- Flash drive
- Hygiene items
- Cleaning products
- Snacks
- Backpack
- TV
- Desk Essentials
- Cutlery
- Gift cards
*If not provided by the school
Basically EVERYTHING they need
to kickstart their college journey!
PLUS... CARE PACKAGES TO COVER THEIR NEEDS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR!
Did You Know That
107 HBCUs Produce...
80% of
Black Doctors
40% of
Black engineers
80% of
Black attorneys
51% of
Black TEACHERS
100% of BLACK UNITED
STATES VICE PRESIDENTS
80% of
Black DENTISTS
80% of
Black JUDGES
But these amazing institutions often lack the funds necessary to fully support underprivileged students
like kids from foster care and make sure they graduate.
HBCU LEGACY
9
WHY A MAFiA PARTNERSHiP
Product Integrations Aimed to Increase Bottomline
The Container Store has the opportunity to provide their products for each scholar’s move-in day activity as well as monthly care packages for school supplies as needed. According to Nielsen, Black consumers are 58% more likely to expect the brands they buy to take a social stance and 37% more likely to buy a brand when they do. This creates a high level of brand awareness with our massive network.
Expansive Brand Influence and Family Engagement
Brand loyalty transcends the Black student demographic as it extends to their families, regardless of how those families are formed. This presents a significant opportunity for The Container Store to make an impact not only on the students themselves but also on their families and friends.
While MIDM is currently directly connected to three HBCUs—Paul Quinn, Fisk, and Prairie View A&M—it is crucial to recognize that the founder, a Howard alum, and supporters of MIDM have connections spanning across 17 HBCUs, encompassing approximately 100,000 students and an extensive network of alumni associations. This expansive reach amplifies the potential impact of The Container Store's partnership, positioning the company to establish a meaningful and far-reaching presence within the HBCU community, creating a ripple effect of brand loyalty and support that transcends individual campuses.
Visible Community Presence and Employee Volunteering
Remarkably, all three schools we are supporting for the upcoming school year are located within a 20-minute radius of a The Container Store store, presenting an exceptional opportunity for The Container Store to showcase a visible presence. Through our partnership, The Container Store can mobilize enthusiastic store employees to volunteer on move-in day, creating a remarkable display of community engagement and compassion. This impactful presence not only demonstrates The Container Store's commitment to the HBCU community but also generates positive PR optics, showcasing the company as a dedicated corporate citizen that goes above and beyond to make a tangible difference in the lives of students.
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Influential Social & Traditional Media Presence and Engagement
Harnessing the power of TeeJ’s engaged and expansive social media following, which successfully help to raise over $1 million in cash and prizes for #TeeJHBCUBingo, presents a remarkable opportunity for The Container Store to exponentially amplify its brand exposure and connect with a diverse and passionate audience. As a DIY publicity media coach with a Hollywood background, TeeJ’s expertise in captivating storytelling and media engagement adds an extra layer of strategic prowess to the partnership. Nielsen says African Americans are 44% more likely to utilize social networks to support companies and brands, emphasizing their active engagement and influence.
Furthermore, the extensive media coverage received by MIDM during its inaugural year at Paul Quinn in Dallas, TX, included EVERY MAJOR media outlet in Dallas–ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, NPR, and Dallas Morning News. TeeJ"s media skills demonstrate the potential for The Container Store to gain significant visibility and recognition within the local community and beyond. By joining forces, The Container Store can leverage this influential platform and media connections to not only showcase its commitment to social impact but also attract new customers, build brand loyalty, and cultivate a positive public image that resonates with diverse audiences—a game-changing advantage in today's competitive market.
Visible Community Presence and Employee Volunteering
The Container Store's unwavering commitment to expanding college prep and career opportunities for BIPOC students, backed by a substantial investment of $44 million, perfectly aligns with Move-In Day Mafia's mission. This collaboration creates a powerful win-win scenario, where HBCU foster care students gain renewed hope and motivation on their journey towards graduation, knowing that a brighter future awaits them.
By partnering with Move-In Day Mafia, The Container Store can extend its commitment beyond financial support and fulfill its commitment to building an HBCU talent pipeline. Through meaningful mentorship, internships, and job opportunities, The Container Store will provide these remarkable students with tangible pathways to success, enabling them to gain valuable work experience, develop essential skills, and build a foundation for a fulfilling career.
This win-win initiative not only empowers HBCU foster care students to keep pushing towards graduation, but it also enriches The Container Store's workforce with diverse, talented individuals who bring unique perspectives and unwavering determination. By investing in their future, The Container Store not only helps shape the next generation of leaders but also cultivates a loyal and dedicated pool of talent that will contribute to the company's long-term success.
Together, through this partnership, we create a powerful synergy that amplifies the impact of The Container Store's "we will do better" commitment while providing HBCU foster care students with a vital support system and the confidence to persevere towards their goals. It's a true win-win scenario that propels us towards a future where opportunities abound and dreams are transformed into reality.
WHY A MAFiA PARTNERSHiP
CONTINUED
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DONATiONS AT WORK
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During our inaugural 2022 year, we moved in
and supported 13 students at Paul Quinn College.
MOVE-IN DAY SUPPLIES | 65% |
MONTHLY CARE PACKAGES | 20% |
OPERATION COSTS | 15% |
- Over the course of move-in day season, we had a rotating "mafia" of about 17 volunteer "wiseguys" on site to get 13 rooms set up.
- Project Dreamlight's working board of directors and volunteer-led committees, which currently number around 25, are dedicated to the smooth operation of the Move-In Day Mafia initiative.
- Our volunteer teams will expand this year as we move in and support 39 scholars for the 2023-2024 school year.
- Operation costs may include expenses such as campus-visit travel, marketing for fundraisers, and more.
MEET OUR "GODFATHER"
TeeJ Mercer
aka
Auntie TeeJ
Move-In Day Mafia is the divine brainchild of TeeJ Mercer, a multiple award-winning Hollywood TV editor & producer who’s
rocked her genius on Hollywood Box Office hits like “Shrek,” The Chronicles of Narnia,” “The Incredibles, “Kung Fu Panda,” “Night School,” “Shaft,” and more. She's worked with box office giants like Kevin Hart, Tiffany Haddish, and Samuel L. Jackson, plus, networks like ABC, NBC, MTV, VH1, OWN, and BravoTV just to name a few…
Waking up every day with the desire to be a S.A.P. (Somebody's Answered Prayer) this self-described "loud, proud, and insufferable graduate of the best HBCU, 'THEE' Howard University" lives by the motto, "Use what's in your hands."
In fact, using what was in her hands, Move-In Day Mafia first began because of the age-old game of Bingo. You read that right...BINGO!
When COVID-19 stole graduation ceremonies in 2020, TeeJ and her crew, armed with her Rolodex of brands and celebrity connections, cooked up an epic Saturday night BINGO party that set the
whole country abuzz! They put a fresh spin on the classic game, surprising nearly 500 HBCU grads in 2020 with four thrilling Saturday nights in June filled with gameplay, career opportunities, celebrity cameos, and jaw-dropping giveaways totaling...
in CASH and PRIZES
Award-winning Author
The Walking Exclamation Point
25+ YEAR HOLLYWOOD VETERAN
TED Talk Speaker
The World’s Greatest Hugger
The Chief JOY BRINGER
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THE FAMiLY
Headed by the "Godfather," TeeJ Mercer, MIDM is comprised of several different "families," which are headed up by a formidable group of "Dons" who bring a variety of expertise, skills, and talents. With over 200 years of collective experience, the "Dons" come from a diverse set of industries. From cyber security to education, to government contracting, to interior design, to event planning, to nonprofit, our Family of Dons represents the ultimate alliance of talent and know-how to ultimately grow MIDM to all 101 remaining HBCUs.
To Partner With The Mafia, Contact Amber@ProjectDreamlight.org
Don Nikki Klugh
Celebrity Interior Designer
Don Sherri Shepherd
Emmy Award Winning Talk Show Host & Advisor
Don Michelle Bailey
Veteran Educator
Don LaTerra Wise
Lead Project Manager
Legal Counsel
Don Darrell Thompson, Esq
Corporate Strategist &
Corporate Partnerships
Don Amber Aziza
Cyber Security Specialist & Corporate Partnership Advisor
Don Martha Davidson
Don Judi Durand
Publicist
Don Audrey Godwin
Award-Winning Financial Strategist & CFO
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WHAT WE CAN ACCOMPLISH TOGETHER
16
TOGETHER, we can take the burden of meeting these scholars' basic needs and relieve the stress that no student should carry, allowing them to focus wholeheartedly on their education and thrive.
TOGETHER, we can open up more doors of opportunity for students who have already defied the odds by attending college, providing them with the tools, resources, and support necessary to navigate their academic journey with confidence in community, so that they achieve their fullest potential.
TOGETHER, we can build a direct channel of HBCU talent into The Container Store employment opportunities, creating an exponential surge of hope for students as they envision a promising future. Filled with fulfilling career prospects and endless possibilities, they will find the strength to persevere through any challenges that would derail their graduation.
TOGETHER, we can disrupt the Foster Care to Prison pipeline and transform it into the
Foster Care to HBCU GRADUATE pipeline, empowering these resilient students with
the education, support, and opportunities they need to break free from cycles of
adversity and build a foundation for lifelong success.
Contact: Amber Aziza
(The "Don" of Corporate Partnerships)
Amber@ProjectDreamlight.org
202.394.7713