ORGIN
Shalom is Hebrew for peace.
Bryant Shalom's name derived from the grandmother of Kevie Lusby. Martha Alice Bryant was her name, but she was affectionately known by Madear. Her house was known to be a safe haven for anyone, whether she knew you or not, you were always welcome into her house. Shalom meaning peace in the Hebrew language, was an example for Bryant Shalom's mission to be a safe haven and a place of peace for youth.
Our Story
Bryant Shalom is a registered 501(c)(3) that was birthed out Kevie Lusby's passion to see the youth of Chicago excel, and have a safe haven to reach their full potential. Kevie was born on the West Side Chicago. While growing up in the inner-city, she was exposed to crime, poverty and disparity and injustice throughout her neighborhood. The effects of high arrests and incarceration, coupled with low employment rates plagued her community. Education and extracurricular programs were her outlets despite limited resources in an educational system that failed to address myriad educational and social needs of the community.
Kevie Lusby envisioned giving inner-city youth the opportunity to develop and grow into young productive individuals. After the completion of her education, she made a vow to dedicate her life to public service and to create the opportunities that were afforded to her to others. Kevie saw the effects of diminution of funding for extracurricular programs throughout the Chicagoland area. She founded Bryant Shalom to cultivate her vision. Our organization seeks to improve the lives of high-risk youth by providing positive outlets, including various educational and recreational programs and leadership opportunities.