22 Hands-up, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing education, employment, and empowerment opportunities for youth, will hold its first annual Food Fest on Saturday, June 15, from noon to 6 PM at Easley Courtyard Studios, located at 107 Pearl Street. Tickets for the event are $40.
Highlighting the event will be legendary Grambling State University Hall of Fame retired baseball coach Wilbert Ellis. Ellis, a long-standing Kappa Alpha Psi member, deacon at the Zion Travelers Baptist Church in Ruston, associate member of the HBCU Boosters, and administrator of the Eddie Robinson Museum, will be in attendance to support the cause. He encourages all citizens of northern Louisiana to participate in this significant event.
“This Food Fest is going to be a big thing,” said event organizer Darrell Hampton. “It’s going to be a lot of fun.”
22 Hands-up aims to foster a commitment to all young people that promotes prosocial behavior, strong interpersonal skills, and a sense of hope for their future. The organization focuses on establishing personal relationships that encourage individual responsibility, aiding youth in their commitment to follow through on their path to adulthood with pride and accomplishment.
Developed in response to the growing number of young people struggling in school or entangled with the juvenile court system, 22 Hands-up identifies youths in need of support. The program aims to advance them into adulthood with a positive support system to help avoid pitfalls that could potentially derail their lives. While the focus may vary at different levels, the goal remains the same: to empower youth to make positive changes in their lives.
Organizers are also planning to hold an interview with Ellis on Facebook Live in the near future. The interview will be called “Meet the Man with the Community Plan.”
For more information about 22 Hands-up, contact Darrell Hampton at (318) 268-2223.