Something to do. Something to become.
Ready & Rooted brings free classes to Philadelphia neighborhoods, from coding and career readiness to dance, chess, and skills clinics. We partner with the community spaces families already know and trust, meeting young people where they are.
Invested per resident each year in Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, less than half what some peer cities spend.
School buildings closing beginning in 2027, which puts more weight on the community spaces that remain.
Philadelphia third graders who read proficiently. The District's own goal is 62 percent.
Four pillars. Thirteen classes. One place to grow up.
Every class belongs to a pillar, and every pillar builds a different part of a young person. A kid can come for basketball and leave knowing how to hold a room.
Future Forward
Etiquette and presence, resume and interview prep, financial literacy, coding pathways, and elementary tutoring. The skills that open doors.
The Studio
Dance and creative expression, growing into spoken word, debate, and podcasting. Where young people learn to make something and say something out loud.
The Compass
Sewing, mentorship, peer support, and cultural exchange in Ghana. Practical knowledge for the parts of life nobody teaches you.
Game Day
Basketball and football skills clinics, plus chess. Body and mind together, with teamwork, sportsmanship, and learning to lose well.
Our Mission
We prepare youth primarily ages 11 to 17 through our Core Track, including at risk and underprivileged young people across Philadelphia, for life through functional skills training and hands on enrichment across the arts, trades, athletics, and academics. Our Foundations Track serves grades 1 through 5 with H.E.L.P. Math and English tutoring, and our Launch Track serves young adults ages 18 to 24 with career development and workforce readiness. We believe well rounded individuals are better equipped to navigate the world, and our programs are built to cultivate that confidence and empower every young person we serve, regardless of circumstance, to succeed.
What We Believe
We believe confidence comes from competence, and that every young person deserves the chance to build it, especially those who have had the fewest resources to do so. When at risk and underprivileged youth gain real, functional skills, from budgeting to cooking to public speaking to a trade, they do not just learn a task, they learn they are capable. That is what prepares them for life, not just for a test or a season, but for everything after.
We also believe that when children do not get the educational support and resources they need at a young age, they become vulnerable to falling off track and getting derailed. Fewer than one in three Philadelphia third graders read proficiently, against a district goal of 62 percent. Our Foundations Track exists as early prevention, reaching children in the elementary years so that fewer of them are already behind by the time they reach middle school.
Three Tracks, One Pipeline
A child can walk in at seven for tutoring and still be with us at twenty two preparing for a career. Very few programs in Philadelphia can say that.
Ages 11 to 17
The full slate of class offerings across all four pillars, running weekly at every host site. This is the heart of the program: arts, trades, athletics, career readiness, and academics through the teenage years.
Grades 1 to 5
Math and English tutoring delivered through H.E.L.P., Helping Educators Level the Playing Field. Built to catch kids before they fall behind, and designed to feed directly into the Core Track as they grow.
Ages 18 to 24
Career development and workforce readiness for young adults entering adulthood. Resume writing, interview preparation, financial literacy, and technology career pathways.
Built by people who grew up in it.
A technology executive with nearly 20 years of industry experience, including 14 years at JPMorgan Chase, and a lifelong Philadelphian. She serves as President of the Philadelphia Chapter of Blacks in Technology and founded Pathbridge Technology Group. Before her career in tech, Kumba spent decades as a dancer and choreographer, leading dance groups for over 20 years, including her own Yema Movement School of Dance. She is a member of the NAACP Camden County East Chapter and the Junior League of Philadelphia.
A Philadelphia native, entrepreneur, and lifelong creator with 17 years at Philadelphia Gas Works, where she manages policies, procedures, and attendance. She founded the modest fashion brand Hayaa Meridian, co-founded Lei Banx Property Group, and is developing Sanctuary Home Care. She grew up in neighborhood drama, drill team, debate, swimming, and math club programs.
A Philadelphia native, entrepreneur, and youth advocate focused on pathways to economic independence. Sahar is Founder and CEO of R. Willis Duhn Enterprise, a semi-regional trucking company, and spent 12 years as a light-rail transit operator with SEPTA. Sahar serves as a Trustee of The Shaebina Trust and an advisor with Legacy at Hand Trust. A chess player drawn to strategic thinking, Sahar's offer to young people is direct: experience, guidance, perspective, and a willingness to show up.
Our Board of Directors
The people who govern Ready & Rooted and hold us accountable to our mission.
We are growing our board and currently recruiting for a Treasurer and a Secretary. Our Treasurer should have finance, accounting, or nonprofit budget experience and no other affiliation with our programming. If that is you, or someone you know, we would love to talk. Reach out here.
Got a room? We'll bring the rest.
We don't need a building. We need a gym, a classroom, or a multipurpose room one to three days a week. We bring trained instructors, curriculum, materials, insurance, and background-checked staff. Programming runs at no cost to your budget.
- Introductions to schools, community centers, and local organizations
- Space for programming, after school or on weekends
- Public support as we build our site network
- Funding partnership and grant guidance
Host a site
Tell us a bit about your space and we'll follow up to talk through what could work.
Prefer email? Contact us directly
Be first to know
Classes, sites, and enrollment. We'll email when there's something real to share, and not otherwise.