Nonprofit Mentoring Program FIATM Invites Community to Utilize Educational, Sports Programs

Family Is All That Matters (FIATM), a Moreno Valley-based non-profit organization dedicated to working with at-risk youth to create a better quality of life, is currently accepting new members into its mentoring, tutoring, football and cheer programs. The group was established in 2005 by founder Yakuba “KB” Brown. With the help of volunteer staff members comprised of parents, teachers, coaches and college students, children from 5 to 14 years old receive positive mentoring and guidance in order to make positive life choices. Currently, the group helps serve, mentor and tutor 353 children throughout the Inland Empire—in cities like Riverside, San Bernardino and Colton—as well as kids in the San Jacinto, Hemet, Temecula, Corona and Los Angeles areas. That number is nearly 100 children more than it was at the beginning of this year. Recently, athletic elements like FIATM’s football and cheer programs have been added to the program because they are “a good base for helping to get kids involved,” said founder Brown, who started the organization with inspiration because he wanted community kids to experience opportunities he himself missed when he was younger. Brown’s inspiration for starting the organization came from the athletic talents of his own son, he shared. “There were some opportunities I missed while in middle school, and I wanted to make sure I did everything that I could as a father to help give my kids opportunities, and to make sure that I got them onto a path where they could live comfortably,” Brown told the Moreno Valley City News at the beginning of the year. Using this inspiration, Brown forged ahead to found the organization 8 years ago. The organization’s corporate sponsors include TJX companies and Edison. It recently has been teaming up with organizations like Elegant Events by Carl to raise funds for the program. With fundraising efforts and donations made by various community organizations and private citizens, FIATM continues its vision. Additionally, the group hires college students from the University of California, Riverside, to work with the children, said Brown. The Board’s Executive Chair Melinda Metoyer can testify to the good the group has done, having worked with the organization for three years and with four children who have been involved with F.I.A.T.M. at one point. Currently her daughter, Maliya, 14, and her sons Marius, 13, and Marion, 7, participate in the services, while her 18-year-old son Marquese went through FIATM’s tutoring program and is now gearing up to serve in the Navy. “I have seen a lot of kids go on and do bigger and better things,” said Melinda. “We really want to get at-risk youth to finish school, go to college and better themselves. Unfortunately in this day it’s a challenge to get kids to graduate [from] high school. Going to college is just icing on the cake,” she said. Students meet with FIATM mentors and tutors at places like Moreno Valley High School and Vista del Lago High School, but the organization looks to widen these horizons as the programs grow. “We are really hoping one day to tutor at Moreno Valley College or UCR, so we can have kids walk onto a college campus,” said Brown. Currently various fundraising projects are in the works, both Metoyer and Brown noted. This coming Saturday, Aug. 3, FIATM will be hosting program signups from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Beauty Trendz, located at 24481 Alessandro Blvd. in Moreno Valley. The group will be set up at the corner of Alessandro Boulevard and Indian Street. On October 25, the group will also host a Hip Hop and Step Show at D & D Dance Studio at 1445 Spruce St. in Riverside, from 6 p.m. to midnight.