Today we’d like to introduce you to Jayla Wideman.
Jayla, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
The idea for my nonprofit was born in July of 2019. It was originally created to be my Gold Award for Girl Scouts, which is the highest award in the organization. However, the more I developed the plan, the more I realized: I wanted the impact to stick. It was then that I understood that the best way to make a lasting impact on my community that would far outreach any Gold Award would be starting a nonprofit to sustain my work and efforts. As someone who has always taken education seriously, I wanted to do something that would help students everywhere improve their academic circumstances. My mom and I slowly started to discuss logistics, and eventually started attempting to get the word out to our family and friends. Just like that, we were on our feet!
Has it been a smooth road?
Not entirely. This year, my sophomore year has been my hardest year academically. I’ve had to learn the hard way about procrastination, time management, and correspondence. I’ve had to learn the best ways to balance my school work, other activities as well as growing my organization. When you have real people and real kids depending on you, you have to be prompt in responses and always follow through on what you promise. I’m currently still learning these lessons, but I think I’ve really improved in these areas.
Please tell us about your organization.
My nonprofit is called FHL Closets and Tutoring Services, Inc. FHL stands for Faith, Hope, and Love, and those are the ideals and values that we try to embody. We set up closets in schools in underprivileged communities with small toiletries and school supplies so that students who may be unable to attain these things can go to a safe space within the school, free of charge. I’m most proud of how fast we’ve grown–though we’ve only been official for around eight months, we’re already in five schools in three different states. We have three other requests that we are currently trying to fulfill. Our goal is to have closets in 10 schools before the end of the school year. I think what sets us apart is that, though there are, of course, adults to help facilitate our progress, our mainboard is made up of teenagers, such as myself.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
I believe that there will always be students who could use a bit of extra support- whether that be school supplies, clothes or tutoring services. I hope that over the next five to ten years we can have a closet in every state in the country.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
I’d like to shoutout my grandparents on both sides: James and Elnora Wideman and Thomas and Carol Frazier. They really helped it get off of the ground. Also Curtis Momon, who was my project advisor as I was just beginning the nonprofit. My board, for taking time out of their busy schedules to help me in this project–being teenagers with a lot on our plates, it was no easy concession to make.
Most importantly, however, I want to thank my mother, Jamila Frazier.
Without her my nonprofit wouldn’t be anywhere near where it is today. She’s put in so much work and FHL would be unrecognizable if she wasn’t a part. Finally, I want to thank everyone who donated, especially while the project was in its beginning stages.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.fhlclosets.org
- Phone: 6786448985
- Email: fhlclosets@gmail.com
- Instagram: @fhlclosets
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FHLclosets/?modal=admin_todo_tour
Image Credit:
Jayla Wideman
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