Be A Leader Foundation

The Be A Leader Foundation (BALF) has been supporting underprivileged youth for over 18 years through financial assistance, personal mentoring and guidance. Its founders, Gary and Melissa Trujillo, decided that they wanted to have an impact on society by changing the educational aspirations of elementary, high school and college students. Since 199... 0, they have worked tirelessly with numerous organizations and school districts to help underprivileged students develop needed leadership skills to become focused and college bound. In 2002, the Trujillo's decided to formalize their energy and efforts and founded the Be A Leader Foundation (BALF). The Foundation is a Phoenix, AZ based, non-profit, 501 (c) (3) tax exempt organization. BALF's mission is to increase the number of college-going students by empowering them to become college bound, focused and prepared through leadership training and mentoring. BALF advocates such core values as integrity first, excellence in all we do, and treating people with dignity and respect. The organization emphasizes building trust and confidence in relationships, developing the self-confidence needed to both lead and follow, and formulating and implementing ethical and value-based decisions. These decisions provide a platform for personal, educational and professional success. Before formally starting the Be A Leader Foundation in 2002, the founders began working with the South Phoenix Community by creating the Roosevelt Community Technology Center. In 1995, it was determined that families in South Phoenix did not have access to technology, which drastically reduced their opportunity to develop critical skills to enhance their educational opportunities. The founders of BALF along with others raised $1,000,000 to create the Roosevelt Community Technology Center (RCTC). In May 1996, thanks to the generosity of many leading corporations throughout Maricopa County, our dream was realized. That same year, the RCTC opened its doors to provide free access to technology and the ...Read More