Non-profit Spotlight: Filling the Lane
Founded in 2012 by Vincent Miller and Brandon Richard, Filling the Lane is a 501C3 non-profit developed from a partnership between Brothers United and The B.Rich Project, Inc.
Filling the Lane works with at-risk youth who have been referred to our program through their local schools. Filling the Lane collaborates with local schools to meet with at-risk youth and engage them in various activities, such as STEM program (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) through basketball. Seniors participate in college preparation programming, which includes college visits, scholarships, essay writing, choosing a college, completing college applications, myths and expectations of college, financial aid, budgeting and SAT/ACT registration. Youth who participate in the Filling the Lane program go from poor high school achievements to high school completion. Some graduates of the Filling the Lane program go on to attend college with great success.
Filling the Lane uses a holistic educational experience by creating a structured and nurturing support system. This approach fosters personal and academic development, community involvement, leadership, and appropriate decision making. Some of the activities our youth participate in are weekly study halls, monthly community service projects, and basketball.
During the program year the youth receive services such as mental health offered by Ceria Sanders, a therapist at Chrysalis Health in Winter Haven, and dental health offered by Forni Dental in Lake Wales.
Filling the Lane has the following program goals:
1. Provide opportunities for all students to feel a sense of achievement.
2. To reduce student failure and potential dropouts.
3. To provide supplemental curriculum and instruction to meet the academic needs in reading, mathematics, science, and social studies of at-risk students for school success.
4. To involve parents and community resources in meeting the needs of at-risk students.
Filling the Lane is funded through generous donations and grants from the community. There are also many volunteers who help make the tournaments successful.
Find out more about Filling the Lane at StepN2OurLane.com. Contact Filling the Lane at 863-698-6462 or stepintoourlane@gmail.com.