Non-Profit BEM Celebrates Three Years of Service for At-Risk Children

The BEM Foundation, a nonprofit providing at-risk children ages nine to 19 years with leadership skills and academic support, celebrated its three years of service in Virginia, Maryland and D.C. at an event held at in Old Town.

 “I’m very humble and thankful for the community to come out to support our initiative, “ said founder Ronald Mitchell at the Saturday evening event. “What I saw on Saturday was a diverse group of people who supports collective thought and has a passion to transform our communities.”

About 50 people celebrated the anniversary and enjoyed wines made by Carafe Wine Makers and cheesecakes donated by Giant Food and Safeway. Companies that attended included State Farm, Northrop Grumman, NAACP, Booz Allen, Morgan Stanley, CNN and Lockheed Martin. These companies are also mentors of the organization.

 The BEM Foundation - Believe Every Moment counts - was created by Mitchell 15 years ago in Chicago. It was officially incorporated when he opened the office in Alexandria. His passion to improve the lives of at-risk children started after he was held up at gunpoint at the age of 14 in Southside Chicago.

He pleaded for his life and the assailant agreed and proceeded to put his gun down and tell Mitchell about his troubled background. Mitchell, who also grew up in a drug-infested community, encouraged the assailant to enter a mentorship program and improve his life. The assailant did just that and ended up getting himself back into high school. Ever since that day Mitchell had a passion to improve communities.

 Arthur Tyson III who works at CNN attended Saturday night’s event and spoke highly of Mitchell who he knew from Clark Atlanta University.

 “Ron is an extremely sharp guy, very personable and a visionary,” Tyson said.

 The BEM foundation provides three types of programs for children and mentors: youth town hall meetings, “power texting” mentoring program and a career shadowing program. The youth town hall events provide children with the opportunity to speak about heart-felt subjects important to them. The “power-texting” program, a term coined by Mitchell’s foundation, uses text messages to reach and inspire young people; and the career shadowing program pairs professionals with students from various cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds.

 Mitchell believes every child is “at-risk” no matter what his or her background or socio-economic status is.  One bad decision, says Mitchell, can change a child’s life forever.

 “Not every kid makes the right decision, “said Mitchell. “There is tremendous peer pressure for boys and girls and that’s why it’s so important that they have mentors and positive guidance to help them make those right choices.”