Progressive Life Center

Progressive Life Center provides an array of community based services to adjudicated youth and their families within the Washington, D.C.; Baltimore, MD; Prince George’s County, MD; Philadelphia, PA; and Newark, DE areas. PLC’s focus is meeting the mental health needs from a cultural and spiritual based approach to help individuals and families recognize and maximize their inner resources, strengths and abilities, enhance their relationships, and function harmoniously in the broader environment.

Our program, Mentoring Children of Prisoners (Project Ujima) target youths ages 11-17 years who has an incarcerated parent. ("Ujima" is a Nguzo Saba principle that means "collective work and responsibility.") The purpose of this program is to reduce at-risk behavior such as drug use, teen pregnancy, school drop-out and other delinquent social behaviors.

Project Ujima provides mentoring for youth in DC and Prince George's County who have a parent(s) incarcerated. We try to bridge the gaps often caused after a parent enters the penal system. We believe that incarceration is often a shared experience that takes a social and emotional toll on the entire family unit. As such, through mentoring, we are able to support both parents and youth by provided mentors who are able to provide a range of support on academic, social, professional, and recreational fronts.