I Is We

We are an innovative, community-based non-profit that uses chess and higher-level games to educate, engage, and empower underserved & high-risk youth — steering them away from criminal and gang-related activities toward a brighter, self-reliant future.

Understanding the unique needs of our specific youth population, we also facilitate mentor-based workshops focused on health & hygiene, self-esteem, strengthening peer relationships, improving financial literacy, and encouraging positive decision-making.

We collaborate with food & nutrition-focused businesses & community organizations dedicated to addressing our youth's challenges around food insecurity. These collaborators know that when this need is met our youth can best focus on their learning & self-improvement goals.

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We Teach Chess To Underserved & High-Risk Youth

After teaching our first 20 underserved & high-risk youth to play chess in 2023, our numbers nearly quadrupled in 2024 and continue to grow in 2025. With a focus on building strategic thinking skills, promoting positive competition, and improving patience, memory, & academic achievement we teach chess via

Youth Empowerment “Lunch-N-Learn” Saturdays at Dixon Park (Feb-Nov)

City of Savannah's Path Forward Summer Program for High-Risk Youth Ages 17-19

Collaboration with a Savannah-Chatham County Public School & Community Organizations

We Empower Positive Decision Making

We also facilitate mentor-based “Lunch-N-Learn” workshops led by individuals with lived experience (i.e., "credible messengers") — an approach known to help reduce youth recidivism & violent offending by up to 45%. These workshops focus on

Health & Hygiene

Financial Literacy

Building Self-Esteem

Self-Esteem

Managing Emotions

Building Resilience

Increasing Empathy

We Initiate Caring For The Community

We maintain Dixon Park as a safe & clean environment for ourselves & other community members. We deliver any “Lunch-N-Learn” food surplus to those less fortunate. We partner with Forsyth Farmers Market to provide our youth proper nutrients. We deliver hot lunches to our youth during inclement weather to curb hunger & malnutrition.

Clean Park Initiative:
Caring For Dixon Park

Everybody Eats Initiative:
Sharing Surplus With Less Fortunate

Healthy Harvest Initiative:
Proper Nutrition For Strong Bodies

Lunch-Lifters Initiative:
Delivering Lunches In Bad Weather

“Lunch-N-Learn” & “Healthy Harvest Initiative” Sponsors

“Lunch-N-Learn” &
“Healthy Harvest Initiative”
Sponsors