See Beautiful Grant Applicant: Blueprint 58

The feature below is brought to you by Blueprint 58, an organization that is in the running to receive a See Beautiful Grant. For more information about all of our giving initiatives, please click here. 

To learn more about Blueprint 58, please visit their website page: here.

Renewing communities through mentorship

Blueprint 58 is a community based mentoring program in southwest Atlanta. We are unique in our approach to community development, focusing on both fostering mentoring relationships through the local school, and establishing a healthy and positive presence in the neighborhood. Deeply rooted in Isaiah 58, we believe that mutually transforming relationships can rebuild and renew entire communities. We believe that lasting relationships with our neighbors are the only context for community change.

Our vision is to empower youth to grow into community leaders, and that they might then transform a neighborhood from the inside out rather than the outside in. We accomplish this through mentoring, sports, and personal development programming in the Pittsburgh and Adair Park communities in Atlanta.

Here at Blueprint 58, we see beauty a bit differently. Normally beauty is defined by something that is aesthetically pleasing to the eye. However, for us beauty is seen far beyond the surface. Our community does not always seem beautiful if only looking at the exterior. There are crumbling streets, abandoned homes, and buildings in disrepair. But if you move beyond the surface, you will find vibrant culture, passionate residents, and a beautiful community of neighbors who care for each other.

At Blueprint 58, we are constantly learning how to show up for people. We have learned that the best way to build lasting and trusting relationships is by simply walking alongside our neighbors in their struggles and triumphs, as well as in our own.  Being vulnerable and walking with our neighbors may be hard, but while we provide a shoulder to lean on, they provide a hand to hold. And that is the beauty of community. Sharing the burden of each other’s pains and celebrating each other’s achievements.

Through the relationships we have formed, we have met some exceptional people and seen such beauty and strength in our community. We do not believe that we are here to create more beauty, but rather to be a spark, with the hope that relationships can encourage and empower the beautiful assets that already reside in the community. Blueprint 58 was built on the foundation that relationships change lives and consistently showing up for people matters.

The best way that we know how to develop relationships in our community is through mentoring. Mentoring is at the heart of what we do. Here at Blueprint 58, we take on a different definition of mentoring; we believe that both our students and mentors have much to learn from each other. Mentoring for Blueprint 58 is about sparking mutually transformational relationships in the hopes that our mentors and students learn and grow together. This year, we have the opportunity to match an entire fourth grade class with mentors. While this endeavor seems daunting, we are so excited about the idea of fostering 40 new relationships. 40 new students and mentors will have the opportunity to make a lasting relationship built on trust, and learn first hand how important it is to simply show up for each other.

We hope that one day our beautiful community of neighbors will then be a spark to other communities and spread the importance of intentionality, relationship, and trust. What could be more beautiful than neighbors around the country showing up for each other? We hope that you will join in the movement to love and listen to your neighbor.

If you are interested in learning more about our mentoring program, please visit our website at www.blueprint58.org  or contact our Mentor Coordinator at [email protected].

Submitted by Rebecca Stanley

Executive Director, Blueprint 58