In 2019 Mrs. Aelex Washington passed away due to cancer and because of her strong and rich involvement in the community, Carlos White decided to pick up the torch and strives to continue to make the impact that his grandmother began during her time here in Natchez. In November 2021 he found it necessary to start The Aelex Washington Foundation (AWF) with hopes of keeping her legacy alive.
Mrs. Aelex Washington was a well-known figure in the Natchez, MS community. She was a kind spirit and very empathetic to the needs of the community around her. She worked in the school system for many years in various capacities and her heart for the youth in the community was unending. She always made sure that everyone had the tools necessary to be successful and was a firm believer that if your basic needs were met, you could be more focused and therefore be more engaged to learn and grow to be a successful member of the community when the time comes.
Currently the opportunities for youths to get out and be active outdoors to enjoy childhood are scarce. Natchez is an old historic town and does not currently have any entertainment venues that are closer than an hour drive at minimum. Due to this, there has statistically been an increase in violence in the area. This is also driving away older businesses and potential new ones that could provide the children with something to do. The sole plan for AWF is to provide opportunities to children and young adults so that the city can eventually be revived to the glory it once had.
“We will hold monthly activities that families can plan to attend so that the children can be engaged and find an air of positivity to stimulate them. The programs and services we plan to offer will range from field days, book drives, back to school supply giveaways, carnivals and much more. Each month will bring a new adventure for the children of the community.” Carlos explained.
The main strength of the foundation is based on the deep roots in the community which it wishes to impact. The founder and members have lived here most of their lives and seen the good, bad, and ugly. They have seen businesses come and go, but most importantly, over the years have forged strong alliances with many of the constituents in their communities which made it easy to see firsthand the needs to be met and interest and concerns of the youth to provide events that they are interested in.
Carlos said he has a team of goal oriented and dedicated go-getters who will keep working until needs are met and everything is completed in a professional and pleasing manner. Everyone has a heart for the betterment of the people and the growth and success of those around them. They all build each other up constantly and cannot wait to share that passion with those they come in contact with.
Carlos added that they are searching for funding to help us reach this goal as we would like to keep these activities free, if possible, to entice as many youths as possible to get involved. Funding provided will be used specifically to pay for venues, activities, security, and supplies to hold the events.
“With your help, we will be able to carry out our mission of helping the youth in the Natchez community who do not currently have basic tools necessary to be succeesful. We also want to be able to provide positive event opportunities that are not currently available without driving hours into neighboring towns.” Carlos explained.
AWF is a full 501-3C nonprofit organization with a can-do spirit. They are never going to tell you no. If there is something that you need, they are going to strive to get it for you and they are always going to have your backs. Their focus is to build Natchez. Starting in July there will two to three monthly events as seen in the events calendar that families can be a part of. The plan is to bring activities into the neighborhoods for children and young adults that they may not otherwise ever experience.
Next year they will launch a support mentoring program that teaches basic life skill to being independent in this world called ‘My Brother and Me’. Once someone enters the program, they are challenged to bring along a friend or friends. Carlos explained that it’s not an age thing, nor a race thing, it’s an altogether thing.
Starting in 2023 the foundation will be offering $1,000.00 scholarships to every graduate out of high school with a 2.0 Grade Point Average (GPA) or above. “Most scholarships require you to have a 2.8 GPA or above, but so many students are hands-on and not necessarily strong academically, so they are not given the opportunity to further their passions, therefore our scholarship requirement is a 2.0 GPA minimum, plus recipients can reapply.” Carlos concluded.
Below is a calendar of events for the remainder of 2022. The Back to School Bash is confirmed for the scheduled date, time, and location. All other events are tentative to the month listed with an exact date, time, and location to be released closer to the event upon confirmation from the facilities, sponsors, and other parties involved.
