At CARES, we believe that transformation does not begin in the statehouses, but in the houses we live in. African Americans—the high and the humble—are longing for what is greatly needed but rarely stated: a safe place to heal our hurt, depression and self-denial—legacies of centuries of enslavement, Jim Crow practices and racism internalized over generations—that often prevent us from caring well for ourselves and our vulnerable young. Impoverished African American children have been long harmed and yet are expected to thrive without the whole body, mind and spirit support regularly offered to middle-class and affluent children when their lives are disrupted by violence and loss. We seek to provide our mentors with these same needed supports so they, in turn, will provide them to our youngsters. Learn more about our mission and vision.