We recently connected with Shavonne Johnson and have shared our conversation below.

Shavonne, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today How did you come up with the idea for your business?

It started with a girl I couldn’t forget.

Years ago, in my work in the child welfare system, I met a young girl who had been shuffled through more placements than she could count. She was bright, but she barely made eye contact. When I asked her what she wanted for her future, she shrugged—she couldn’t imagine a future. That haunted me.

Day after day, I kept seeing the same pattern: young people being treated like problems to fix instead of people to empower. They were surviving, but not thriving. So many were growing up with little consistency, even less affirmation, and almost no safe space to grow into who they were meant to be.

I knew they were more than their circumstances. I knew they were worthy, valued, and capable of greatness. And I couldn’t keep watching the system fail them without doing something different.

That’s when the seed for Truly Valued was planted. I asked myself:
What if we created a space where kids didn’t have to prove they were worthy—what if they started with that truth?

The Birth of an Idea

At first, it was just a notebook filled with dreams and ideas. I imagined a program built on three pillars: character, confidence, and community. A place where young people—especially girls—could build their identity, find their voice, and learn they were not alone. I didn’t want to duplicate what was already out there. I wanted to transform how youth development was done—heart-first, consistent, and culturally responsive.

There were programs addressing behavior, but few that dealt with the root: self-worth. There were mentoring programs, but often short-term or inconsistent. I wanted to create something personal, rooted in relationship, that followed them across seasons, schools, and setbacks. I wanted to help them believe: I matter, I belong, I am truly valued.

What Made It Feel Right

Logically, I saw a gap in services—especially for youth who didn’t qualify for certain “at-risk” interventions but were still struggling silently. I knew that if we intervened early—before the court systems, before the trauma compounded—we could change the trajectory of their lives.

What made this a worthwhile endeavor wasn’t just data—it was what I felt in my gut. Every time a student finally looked me in the eye, shared something real, or came back years later to say, “You saw me before I saw myself”—that was the proof.

I launched the organization in 2016, not knowing where it would lead—only that it was needed. I started small, on school campuses, building partnerships, listening more than talking. And one by one, the lives changed.

What Excited Me Most

What excited me most wasn’t just the idea itself—it was the ripple effect. If one student learned to love herself, she’d treat her friends differently. If one boy developed confidence, he’d raise his hand in class. If one young person saw their value, they’d choose hope over harm.

And now, years later, I still see that spark—that same girl who once stayed silent now stands on stage, mentoring others. This is more than a program. It’s a movement. A reminder to every young person that they don’t have to become something they’re not. They just have to believe in who they already are.

They are Truly Valued. And that changes everything.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My name is Shavonne Johnson, and I’m the Founder and CEO of Truly Valued, a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering youth and families by nurturing their character, confidence, and connection to community. I come from a background in child welfare, where for over a decade I worked with children and families navigating some of life’s most difficult circumstances—abuse, neglect, abandonment, and systemic injustice.

My journey into this field wasn’t a coincidence; it was a calling. I’ve always had a heart for young people, especially those who are often overlooked or misunderstood. Working within the system gave me a front-row seat to the gaps in support—especially when it came to helping youth develop self-worth, emotional resilience, and a clear sense of identity.

What I saw over and over again were young people who were being defined by their trauma rather than their potential. I realized what they needed wasn’t another behavior chart or short-term fix. They needed consistency. They needed connection. They needed someone to say, “I see you. I believe in you. Let’s build something better—together.”

What We Do

That’s where Truly Valued comes in. We are based in Sarasota and Manatee Counties, Florida, and we provide year-round programming for youth ages 10 to 18. Our services include:

On-campus character and confidence-building sessions in middle and high schools

Youth Empowerment Services in partnership with the Sarasota Police Department, Brotherhood of Men and Teen Court

RISE Project, which supports restorative justice and community healing

E3: Educate, Enlighten, Empower — a series of Lunch & Learn workshops that fosters leadership, self-love, and purpose

Parent Engagement and Bilingual Family Support through the Nurturing Families Program

Summer programming, volunteer opportunities, and mentoring

Everything we do is rooted in our four pillars: Character, Confidence, Education, and Self-Awareness. We use evidence-informed curriculum, real-life mentoring, and culturally responsive approaches that empower students not just to survive, but to lead.

What Sets Us Apart

What makes Truly Valued different is our deep commitment to relationships and measurable transformation. We don’t just show up—we stay. We walk alongside youth through middle school, high school, and even post-graduation. Our impact is personal, and our methods are strategic.

We are in the schools. In the community. In the lives of our students. Our programs are trauma-informed, bilingual when needed, and infused with a sense of belonging.

We also believe in tracking outcomes. As of our most recent program cycle:

86% of students reported positive changes in character and behavior
96% expressed increased self-awareness and self-respect
Over 80% could clearly identify lessons that improved their decision-making and peer relationships

What I’m Most Proud Of

What fills me with the most pride is watching the transformation that takes place in the students we serve. One student who once wouldn’t speak up in group sessions is now leading community service projects. Another who struggled with anger and isolation is now mentoring younger peers. These are not just program outcomes—they are life outcomes.

I’m also incredibly proud of our growing team and partners, including law enforcement, schools, families, and local organizations who believe in the power of prevention, community, and second chances.

What I Want You to Know

I want our readers, supporters, and future partners to know this: We are here for the long haul. Truly Valued is not just a program—it’s a movement to shift how we support youth. We believe every child deserves to be seen, heard, and equipped with tools to succeed—not just academically, but emotionally and socially.

If you’re a parent, an educator, a funder, or a community advocate—you have a place in this work. If you’ve ever wished someone had poured into you when you were growing up, this is your opportunity to be that someone for someone else.

At the end of the day, we’re not just building better students. We’re raising leaders. And I invite you to join us

Can you talk to us about how you funded your business?

When I founded Truly Valued in 2016, it wasn’t backed by a major grant or a big donor. It was built from a place of conviction—and a lot of personal sacrifice. I believed in the mission so deeply that I funded the early stages with my own personal savings.

At the time, I was still working full-time in child welfare, but I knew that if I waited for perfect conditions or outside funding to give me the green light, it might never happen. So I took a leap of faith.

I used my own money to cover the basics—filing the paperwork to become a 501(c)(3), building a simple website, creating flyers, ordering materials for workshops, and even buying snacks for the kids who would come to our first sessions. There were no office spaces, no staff—just me, a vision, and a deep belief that this was needed.

I remember sitting at my kitchen table, mapping out programming and making cold calls to schools, praying someone would give us a chance. Slowly, they did. And once they saw the impact, word started to spread.

As the organization grew, we began receiving community donations, small grants, and support from people who caught the vision. But it all started with personal investment—both financially and emotionally. I tell people all the time: Truly Valued was built with faith, grit, and a whole lot of heart.

Looking back, I wouldn’t change a thing. That initial investment taught me how to steward resources wisely, build from the ground up, and never lose sight of the “why.” It also set the tone for our organization: we are here to invest in people, no matter the cost, because they’re worth it.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

What helped build my reputation—and Truly Valued’s—within our community wasn’t flashy marketing or big budgets. It was relationships and results.

From the very beginning, I made it a point to show up consistently, not just as a professional, but as a person who genuinely cared. Whether I was meeting with a school principal, sitting with a parent, or encouraging a student one-on-one, I built trust by listening first and delivering on what I promised.

People knew me before they knew the organization. They saw how I treated others, how I followed through, and how I never wavered in my commitment to young people. That personal credibility became the foundation of our brand.

But relationships alone aren’t enough—you have to deliver. And we did.

Truly Valued has always focused on real, measurable outcomes. When schools and community partners saw the change in their students—students showing up differently, speaking with confidence, choosing better friends, improving their grades—that spoke louder than anything else. One school would share our impact with another. A parent would tell another parent. Word-of-mouth, backed by evidence, is what grew our reputation.

What also helped was that we didn’t just “drop in” for a few weeks and leave. We stayed. We became part of the school culture, part of the students’ lives. That kind of consistency built not only respect, but partnership.

Today, I’m proud that Truly Valued is known as a trusted and effective youth development organization—but that didn’t happen overnight. It happened through years of intentional relationship-building and unwavering commitment to results. People saw that we weren’t here for headlines—we were here for healing and hope. And that made all the difference.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://trulyvalued.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truly_valued/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trulyvaluedinc/