Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Daverney Freeman. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Daverney, thanks for joining us today. Can you talk to us about serving the underserved.

Working with underserved communities gives me an opportunity to learn about an entirely different subgroup of the population. I was first introduced to the concept of community service during my freshman year of college as a teacher’s aide at a local childcare facility. There were certain things about the experience that stood out to me: Many children that were delayed developmentally or below grade level academically were directly or indirectly victims of the criminal justice system.

It was at that local childcare center that I witnessed firsthand the barriers families faced with providing quality care for their children. From pay disparities, racial biases, mass incarceration, and police brutality, these children and their families lack access to resources. Although I didn’t know the phrase at the time, I was learning how the social determinants of education impacted the work we do. I became determined to dedicate my career and personal life to tackling these barriers head-on, so I created an organization with the motto of “helping people help themselves lead happy, healthy and productive lives.”

I love the work I do. In fact, while many of my peers working in other settings struggle with burnout, I find great professional and personal joy in my own career.

Daverney, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I’m the founder and CEO of Limitless Community Outreach Ltd. a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization based in Clayton County, Georgia. I was born and raised in South Florida where I found a passion for working with children and their families. I started volunteering to teach children from birth through five years old at my high school’s childcare center and I fell in love with teaching Florida’s youngest learners. During high school I became a teenage mother and experienced many barriers to continuing my education and finding quality care for my newborn. That experience gave me the fortitude pushing forward in outreach to those our justice system has labeled a detriment. I pushed through and graduated college with a major in Early Childhood Development.

As I continue my journey as a mother and educator, the experiences for minority families continue to be substantially separate and unequal. Limitless Community Outreach Ltd. was formed for the sole purpose of conducting outreach and providing services to disadvantaged and limited-resources communities. LC Outreach provides wrap-around services for at-risk youth and their families in the nation to live happy, healthy, productive lives as they combat daily barriers. We assist at-risk youths and their families on their journey through therapeutic services, education, life skills, and personal and professional development. The focus for each participant is on developing their courage to move forward and their confidence to succeed. Our participants come to us at their most vulnerable stage of life and put their trust in our confidential and nonjudgmental environment.

As an organization that focuses on the entire family healing process spiritually, mentally, physically, and emotionally will inevitably heal the community. Our vision is that every family in the nation will have the resources and tools to be the best version of themselves as they combat everyday life.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I had to unlearn that your family and/or friends may NOT be your biggest supporters. Complete strangers will provide more support and motivation to uplift you more than people you have known your entire life. I had zero experience with the nonprofit sector when I decided to start LC Outreach. I had a dream that I needed to get up and get out in the community and be a resource and that’s exactly what I did. I leaned heavily on other nonprofit organizations’ leadership teams to guide me through this new adventure. I wholeheartedly appreciate all of them and their willingness to assist me in my voyage.

Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?

When managing a team, I communicate directly and transparently. Everyone dreads miscommunication because it causes confusion and stress. I offer a clear vision to keep everyone on track to achieve goals. Delegating the workload that ensures respect for the individual capabilities. Provide constructive feedback and recognition. Team management can lead to happier employees which ultimately keeps morale high. Above all, to keep happiness in the workplace, we prioritize work life balance. Overworked people are in danger of burnout. Encouraging our employees to leave the office on time, or if the business allows, we follow a more flexible schedule, so employees can have more say over their start and end times.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.lcoutreachltd.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lcoutreachltd/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LCOutreachLtd
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVeoxI4cGSK4coiC4RBe5Cg
• Other: https://gofund.me/ab2251ba

Image Credits
Davian Freeman