A movement for the next generation

Every future needs someone who believes.

Changing destinies. Transforming generations. Building stronger communities.

We equip young people with the knowledge, skills, mentorship, and opportunities to change the direction of their lives - and create a better future for the generations that follow.

Become a Mentor Donate Watch our story
  • Richmond, Virginia
  • Youth ages 12–21
  • Community-led mentorship
  • 501(c)(3) nonprofit
Scroll
The Reality

The hardest chapter is the transition into adulthood - alone.

Every year, thousands of young people step into adulthood without a steady hand to guide them. Not because they lack potential - but because no one showed up long enough to help them see it. LIFE 101 exists to close that gap, replacing uncertainty with mentorship, purpose, and a community that stays.

0
young people face this transition without a consistent, trusted adult in their corner.
0
more likely to thrive when a mentor believes in them and shows up consistently.
A hopeful teenager looking toward the light, symbolizing possibility and a brighter future
Hope
outweighs every statistic when someone chooses to believe.
Our Mission

Educate. Empower. Elevate.

LIFE 101 isn't a one-time program. We stay present, we build real relationships, and we walk alongside young people as they discover purpose and step into the leaders, mentors, and changemakers of tomorrow.

What We Do

Seven pathways from potential to purpose.

Explore the full program
01 Mentorship Trusted, consistent relationships that pair young people with mentors who show up - and stay. 02 Life Skills Training Financial literacy, communication, and the everyday tools of confident, independent living. 03 Career Preparation Resumes, interviews, apprenticeships, and real introductions to real opportunity. 04 Community Connections A network of people, partners, and place - so no one has to do life alone. 05 Transition Support Steady guidance through the fragile years between adolescence and independence. 06 Entrepreneurship Turning ideas into income, and ambition into ownership and generational change. 07 Volunteerism Giving back as a way of moving forward - leadership grown through service.
A young mentor teaching a small group of engaged teenagers life skills around a table

It starts in Richmond. It doesn't end there.

Our pilot pairs young people ages 12–21 with trained mentors for leadership, financial literacy, and career readiness - a model built to travel to every community that needs it.

Inside the program
Measurable Impact

Progress you can count - and a future we're building toward.

0
Youth Served
across our first pilot cohorts
0
Volunteer Hours
invested by mentors & partners
0
Active Mentors
trained and matched
0
Communities
on our expansion roadmap

* Figures reflect current pilot targets and are updated as the movement grows.

Team Spotlight

The people who decided to show up.

Mentors don't need to be perfect - they need to be present. Meet a few of the leaders changing lives one relationship at a time.

Portrait of Sheila, a LIFE 101 leader
Leadership Team

Sheila Garden

“I became the mentor I needed at 16. Now I get to be that for someone else.”

Portrait of Shelita, a LIFE 101 founder
Founder

Shelita Salley

“One conversation can change the entire direction of a young person's life.”

Portrait of Tawanda, a LIFE 101 director of finance
Director of Finance

Tawanda James

“They don't need saving. They need someone who won't leave.”

Become a mentor
The $1 a Week Movement

One dollar. One week. One future rewritten.

0
a week from you
×
0
believers
=
0
a year of change

Extraordinary change isn't built by a few big gifts - it's built by many people who refuse to look away. Skip one coffee a month. Rewrite a life.

Join for $1 a week
Radical Transparency

Every dollar, accounted for. Every week, in the open.

Trust isn't claimed - it's shown. LIFE 101 is committed to publishing weekly summaries of donations received and funds distributed, so you can see exactly where your generosity goes.

  • 501(c)(3) tax-exempt

    Contributions are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.

  • Weekly financial reporting

    Published summaries of funds in and funds out - no fine print.

  • Responsible stewardship

    Funds directed toward mentorship, programs, and the youth we serve.

Join the movement

Become the mentor you once needed.

LIFE 101 doesn't simply support young people - it helps shape the leaders, mentors, and changemakers of tomorrow. The next chapter starts with you.

Become a Mentor Give $1 a Week