April 18, 2015
Rise Up For Youth, Inc. received a $25,000 gift from Koch Industries, Inc. The gift was presented today by Koch Industries’ Senior Vice President and General Counsel Mark Holden at the annual Developing Every Man’s Opportunity (DEMO) conference, which is hosted by Rise Up For Youth, Inc.
“We are excited to support Rise Up For Youth, and are grateful for people like David and Lynn Gilkey, who have dedicated their lives to helping others better themselves,” Holden said. “Charles Koch and all of us at Koch Industries are committed to helping people improve their lives, especially the disadvantaged and especially in our hometown of Wichita.”
“This gift moves Rise Up For Youth toward its goal to reach even more young people in this community,” said David Gilkey, one of the founders of the organization. “We are grateful for this support as we work to help the young men and women in our programs realize their full potential.”
Rise Up For Youth works with students in Wichita public high schools, mentoring youth who come from challenging socio-economic circumstances. Through a focus on healthy lifestyle choices, the value of education, and the development of life skills, Rise Up For Youth is helping change young lives. Rise Up For Youth has two mentoring programs, Do You Want To Live Or Die? (DYWTLOD) for young men, and Caring Ladies Assisting Students to Succeed (CLASS) for young women. Both programs had a 100% senior graduation rate in 2014.