Nonprofit to benefit after city of Killeen opens applications for youth groups to receive grant money

KILLEEN, Texas (KWTX) - The city of Killeen wants to make sure youth programs are not only well funded, but also fully functioning, and is providing grants up to $10,000 specifically for nonprofit organizations that help area youth.

Impossible Teen Center Founder Vantonio Fraley told KWTX he appreciates the initiative because it could help expand his nonprofit.

“It provides value at home, allows us to keep our teens off of the street, and builds some of the value we had when I was growing up here,” said Fraley.

Those are a few of the reasons why Fraley founded the I’m Possible Teen Center.

He said once he returned home from college in 2011, he was heartbroken that Killeen broke the record for teen deaths.

His goal is to show teens there is hope. “We want to teach our teens that there’s no such word as impossible, the word is I’m Possible. So, through certain steps and processes, we teach them how to achieve anything that want,” said Fraley.

Fraley said what he wants to achieve next is a larger building with a sports facility attached to it.

“In order to reduce violence or reduce anything in the teen community, you have to be able to replace it with something. As long as we have teens walking the streets, that lets us know that they don’t have nowhere that feels like it’s just theirs,” said Fraley.

Fraley said his organization raised 20 percent in funding for the goal so far.

However, the city of Killeen providing up to ten-thousand dollars for nonprofit groups geared towards the youth.

Councilman, Jose Segarra, said the nonprofit has to be registered as a 501C to qualify and the group must have two years of history.

He also said you can’t apply if the organization received grant money from past initiatives.

“It’s hard for them to keep going. So, we as a city thought as a city thought it’s important that if we can provide a little bit of help, that would help them sustain themselves, thrive and continue doing what they’re doing,” said Segarra.

Fraley said to take care of the kids, because one day the kids will take care of you.

“So please get involved because they need your support, our teens need your support, our youth needs your support,” said Fraley.

Applications are open now until February 28 of next year.

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