Image above: Memphis Allies teams up with 103.5 WRBO at the holiday toy drive Community generosity thrives at Memphis...
SWITCH Posts
Most Recent SWITCH Posts
Meet TaMara Reed
Image above: TaMara Reed, Memphis Allies SWITCH Youth clinical specialist TaMara Reed: Helping participants see...
Power shift
Image above:Deangelo Luckett, Memphis Allies outreach specialist Power Shift: Deangelo Luckett making an impact for...
More SWITCH Posts
Journey of Change
Image above: Memphis Allies staff presenting at Youth Villages Employee Conference 2025 Youth Villages employees hear from Memphis Allies participants A professional overview of Memphis Allies and its goal of reducing gun violence comes with slides, statistics, graphs...
The Means and Skills for Success
SWITCH Youth participant ‘Jaden’ has the ‘means and the skills’ for success Jaden was not in a good place when he entered Memphis Allies’ SWITCH Youth program. At age 17, he was facing an aggravated robbery charge, and he had recently lost a brother in a fatal...
This is ‘Heart Work’
This is ‘heart work,’ says Memphis Allies SWITCH supervisor His name is Earve Mathis, but around Memphis Allies’ South Memphis office, he is better known as “Mr. E.” A life coach supervisor in the adult SWITCH program, Mr. E knows well the cost of making bad...
Finding the Light
Step-by-step, SWITCH participant finding the light For decades, Gary was in hiding. He just didn’t know it. “Growing up, I created the mask,” he said. “Be the tough guy to exist in society.” Two years ago, when Gary entered Memphis Allies’ SWITCH program—for adults at...
Nothing to Lose
‘These guys have nothing to lose’ is why Memphis Allies’ Tito Porter does what he does A gun, Tito Porter says, is just a means to an end. In fact, at age 19, it enabled Porter to have his own place. “My first apartment on my own was a jail cell,” he said. Porter...
Quincy reaches potential with SWITCH Youth
SWITCH Youth helping Quincy to realize his potential Memphis Allies’ SWITCH Youth program is not just trying to reach teenagers who might be prone to finding trouble. Rather, the goal is to reach those most at risk for involvement in gun violence. “Quincy,” age 17,...
Think First
‘Think first’ is advice Terranze Sharp wishes someone had given him “You always have the right to choose. You choose the quality of your life by making the right decisions in the critical moments in your life.” –Terranze Sharp, SWITCH Youth team supervisor For...
Impact, Truth, Grind and Unity
Youth Villages employees learn about Memphis Allies’ tireless work to reduce gun violence Each year, the Youth Villages Employee Conference brings together team members from across the country to Memphis. Not only is it a chance to make new connections—and reconnect...
Not Left Behind
Not left behind, Calvin Sanford finds his mission as a SWITCH Youth life coach In 2010, Calvin Sanford was staring at a potential 66-year prison sentence for aggravated robbery and burglary. “I didn’t do that one,” he said. “I knew who did, but I didn’t tell.”...
This project is funded under an agreement with the State of Tennessee and with support of other funders