The Breakfast Group is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization of civic minded professional African-American men dedicated to mentoring and addressing the challenges of at-risk youth of color focusing on black males. Established in 1976, it is the oldest (non-fraternity) all male African-American organization in the Northwest United States. The primary focus of the organization is to provide support for low-income youth of color in achieving their educational objectives. The emphasis of The Breakfast Group is to work directly with the community’s highest risk young men. Furthermore, to assist them in completing their secondary education and access higher education and/or employment after high school as they move forward with determination and integrity toward adulthood. The Breakfast Group members value a consistent, competent, and reliable presence in the lives of the youth they serve. This is accomplished by demonstrating a sustained and active commitment to their community. In this way they empower low-income male youth by imparting the values of: responsibility, leadership, and accountability. They are committed above all, to developing culturally relevant educational experiences and initiatives that close and address the achievement gap for low-income minority and at risk male students. The membership with its combined expertise, professional experience, political capital, and range of practice is essential to its Unique Value Proposition. The members include practitioners in the fields of: Education, Business, Public Service, Politics, Law, Medicine, Entrepreneurship, Science, and Technology. This unique, distinguishing characteristic of The Breakfast Group, combined with its 46 year track record of success, is without parallel in the Seattle Metropolitan Area and the State of Washington. Targeted categories include youth susceptible to; gang activity, violent conflict resolution, drug involvement, and classroom disruption. These behavioral patterns lead to a failure to make progress towards graduation. More than 50% of the students participating in Breakfast Group programs have been exposed to the juvenile justice system. These cohorts constitute the client base for The Breakfast Group and the focus of its services and programs.
