Today we’d like to introduce you to Philana Swann.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I am a mother of 3 girls ages 17, 15 and 13 and have always had a passion to help youth; specifically girls because of the disparities that I saw in my community and lack of resources that teaches them how to be respectful young ladies. I started seeing all of these young girls in my community dressing provocatively and doing things that made me feel like they were seeking attention from any place that they could get it. I felt like they weren’t doing better because they didn’t know better and their parents didn’t know better either. Because I was so passionate about making sure that my girls had all of the tools they needed to help them SOAR, I felt like I needed to spread the love. I grew up in a small country town in Reidsville NC; raised by both my parents and had a grandmother RUTH B. Settle that had a great influence on my life. I learned community service at a very early age watching my grandmother help the less fortunate in her community. I decided to start a nonprofit organization for girls and reached out to parents who had similar challenges. This led to the birth of RUTH 4 Kids Foundation, a statewide organization.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I faced several challenges and at times wanted to give up but I would always have a people that would reach out at the right time to give me the reassurance that what I was doing for young girls is very much needed and to keep going. One example is when parents are more eager to pay and have their kids participate in outside activities that are less impactful instead of participating in events/workshops that are geared towards education. RUTH 4 Kids Foundation provides both self-esteem and educational programs that can have a lasting effect on their future.
RUTH 4 Kids Foundation – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
RUTH 4 Kids Foundation is a 501c3 volunteer organization whose mission is to inspire girls to consider careers in STEAM professions. We accomplish this by nurturing their self-esteem, helping them develop self-confidence, and creating an atmosphere of excitement around STEAM disciplines. At the same time, we encourage them to respect multicultural differences and develop a lifelong commitment to environmental stewardship.
Our Values
Our core values are centered around six pillars of character: Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Caring and Citizenship.
Our Vision
We envision that our efforts will spawn a generation of talented women who are not afraid to use their gifts to advance the goals of STEAM professions, who champion diversity, and who insist on environmental stewardship as a necessary partner of all progress.
These are characteristics that Ruth B. Settle displayed throughout her life. To keep her legacy alive, RUTH 4 Kids is committed to providing forums that will educate, enrich and enhance the lives of young girls both academically and socially through our mentoring relationships, one student at a time.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
We produced a successful STEM program that introduced young girls to both traditional and non-traditional STEM careers and exceeded our projected goals.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.ruth4kids.org
- Email: info@ruth4kids.org
- Instagram: ruth4kids
- Facebook: Ruth4Kids Foundation
Image Credit:
Dunn Photography, Perfect Pics by EC
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