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What began as an after-school basketball program has evolved over more than a decade into a comprehensive, 13-year wraparound system of support for students and their families. Youth enter the program in sixth grade and receive consistent academic, emotional, and social support all the way through college and even into post-graduate life. “We service these kids for 13 years of their life,” David said. “They go from our middle school program to our high school program to our college program to post-college.”

This long-term investment in young people touches on multiple determinants of health, and creates a deep sense of belonging and community, which is often lacking in traditional academic or healthcare systems.

Academic Anchoring and Holistic Support

The Maurice Lucas Foundation provides in-school elective classes focused on core values like respect, leadership, integrity, goal setting, and personal responsibility. These values—referred to as “the seven pillars”—are taught through project-based learning that integrates STEAM subjects (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math). “Middle school kids thrive on that,” said Program Director and Chief of Staff Sheila Zachary. “They’ve gotta be moving… it’s really important to us to include creativity.”

Outside the classroom, MLF offers homework support, tutoring, mentorship, job shadows, internship opportunities, and access to higher education. Every student receives a $5,000 scholarship, and through the Foundation’s partnership with the Jordan Brand Wings program, one student each year is awarded a full-ride gap scholarship to any college in the country. In 2025 the MLF is able to award two such scholarships through it’s partnership with the Jordan brand.

Academic metrics are tracked rigorously. “We’re at 100% graduation rate at this point in time,” Sheila said. “Our kids average between a 3.2 and a 3.4 GPA.” Students are also taught self-advocacy from an early age, skills that contribute to their ability to navigate both educational and life challenges independently.

Social-Emotional Support and Family Engagement

MLF’s model goes beyond academics. The Foundation actively addresses social-emotional development, particularly in response to challenges like COVID-19, food insecurity, and family health crises. “We had a student who is currently getting her master’s, who went through a couple years of her mom being diagnosed with stage four cancer,” Sheila shared. “Karen [MLF’s post-secondary support staff] worked the whole time with her through that process, right? And persisting in college.”

During the pandemic, the Foundation quickly created a remote academic hub inside a local Elks Lodge. “Many, probably the majority of our families didn’t have Wi-Fi at home,” Sheila said. “We hired tutors… and we were sitting beside kids and working with them through their classes.”

This kind of real-time response to family needs is a hallmark of the MLF model. “We work very closely with the teachers, the principals, and also the parents,” David said. “It’s not just around the student. It’s around their families and their siblings.” Support ranges from snacks and supper to mental health counseling, transportation, and housing-related financial assistance—each reinforcing key socioeconomic and family health determinants.

Equity, Representation, and Belonging

While the Maurice Lucas Foundation is not culturally exclusive, it primarily serves students of color and low-income families. “We’re over 70% BIPOC,” David said. “We take all students… whether you have money or you don’t.” Many of the students are on Individualized Education Plans or come from households facing systemic barriers. As Sheila emphasized, “Our program really exists for all kids and families.”

MLF also engages in racial equity and social justice work through a cohort partnership with Portland Public Schools, which provides access to student records and deepens MLF’s ability to track academic and developmental progress. “We’re part of a small cohort… and that gives us access to any school we want to go into, to see kids, to see families,” Sheila said. “It helps us follow them through high school, being able to provide free tutors, keep an eye on their grades.”

Sustainability and Challenges

MLF’s impact is only possible through extensive partnerships with school districts, families, foundations, and corporate donors. The Jordan Brand is a critical supporter, along with the Heatherington Foundation, which has fully underwritten the program at one school for six years. Still, challenges persist, especially around funding and program scalability. “We know that’s going to cost us $500,000 for three years to support that school,” David said. “Then we have to go get that. But we know it’s going to be a forever thing.”

Competition with other school-based organizations for student participation is another ongoing tension. “We’re not going to pay our kids,” David said. “But we do have incentives that they can earn throughout the year.”

The Foundation’s model is grounded in depth over breadth. “We go deeper with fewer students,” David explained. “Versus serving 10,000 students and families, we want to serve 3,000 deeply.”

Why It Matters to FamilyCare Health

At FamilyCare Health, we recognize that health is shaped by far more than medical care alone. Programs like the Maurice Lucas Foundation are living examples of how consistent relationships, educational opportunity, emotional wellness, and family engagement can impact determinants of health.

By supporting youth through every season of growth, the Foundation is creating pathways to lifelong well being; something we at FamilyCare are deeply committed to. We’re honored to share their story, and to continue advocating for a world where community-based care and long-term support are seen as essential parts of health.

Determinants of Health: Adverse Childhood Experiences, Education, Socioeconomics, Isolation & Belonging, Recreation, Creative Play, Learning