In Diamond’s words:

After a Friday night Franklin Institute visit where teens were able to express their innermost concerns about their community, I was introduced to Miss.Candice of the police dept. At this overnight visit I expressed my concerns about the gun violence in my community which I witnessed with the loss of a family friend Lisa Alston. Not only deprived by the negative experiences witnessed in my community I was also a rape victim in counseling while only in the 6th grade. Never the less I soon realized that this was only a temporary setback for God had greater things for me which began in the entrance into Duffy’s Hope 6 years ago.

The mission of Duffy’s Hope is to advance community hopes by fostering the academic achievement and social enrichment of at-risk youth through advocacy, education, mentoring and community outreach. The mission was always forth standing, but I can say I really witnessed it in my 10th grade year when I lost my brother and father.  Though the mission of Duffy’s Hope is substantial in its foundation, what would it be without the vision imparted daily into not just me but the other youth of Duffy’s Hope?

Duffy’s Hope envisions a world where youth take control of their lives by empowering themselves with positive thoughts and goals, good choices and a perpetual desire to make the world a better place for everyone. To fulfill this vision Duffy’s Hope, Inc. provides intellectual, emotional and interpersonal growth opportunities for youth and their families through advocacy, education, mentoring and community outreach. I witnessed the vision of Duffy’s Hope daily through such things as our Monday night meetings, monthly visits to our schools to check our academic success, weekly tutoring sessions to enhance our academic success, college tours, participation in the basketball league, holiday food baskets/gifts, and multiple community service projects such as the AIDS walk, food and allergy walks, preparing meals at the Ronald McDonald house, the food bank of Delaware and our community garden(just to name a few). The vision of Duffy’s Hope was not only shown daily but it also brought my vision to fulfillment. Through the program I have graduated from Brandywine High School with multiple honors, 90+ community service hours and a full academic scholarship to the University of Delaware.

Fulfilling such an important mission requires leaders of creativity, enthusiasm and integrity: men and women with vision, energy and commitment. Duffy’s Hope has a Board of Directors whose members meet those requirements and more. I would like to thank my mentor Bronte Wilson, my second mommy Miss. Semia, Mr.Duffy and all the members of the board for their commitment and never ending love they shown unto me.