Tie Tuesday Foundation Makes Its Mark On Young People Through Mentorship

Daniel Jackson is the Founder of the Tie Tuesday Foundation. The organization provides mentorship and STEAM programming to students ages 10-13. Photo provided by the Tie Tuesday Foundation.
Daniel Jackson is the Founder of the Tie Tuesday Foundation. The organization provides mentorship and STEAM programming to students ages 10-13. Photo provided by the Tie Tuesday Foundation.

Tie Tuesday Foundation Makes Its Mark On Young People Through Mentorship

By Tia Carol Jones

Daniel Jackson saw a great need for mentorship. As a Chicago Public School teacher, Jackson saw an opportunity to create something to support students outside of school. During his formative years, he had a mentor, and he wanted to be able to support young people in the same way he was supported when he was younger. He founded the Tie Tuesday Foundation in 2023.

Tie Tuesday Foundation’s tagline is tying the community, and it serves young men ages 10 years old to 13 years old. Its mission is to build confidence in young men, help them learn responsibility, and help them become men of purpose. The organization has five pillars: Scholarship, mentorship, professionalism, service and health. In addition to its mentorship component, there is also a STEAM education component.

Jackson said the reason for the STEAM education component is because of the growing interest in careers in STEM and technology. The Tie Tuesday Foundation hosts their mentorship program and STEAM education classes, on second and fourth Saturdays.

Jackson said the goal is to have 25 young men in the program. There are currently 14 young men in the program. Some of the participants have transitioned to programs geared toward mentoring high school students. Tie Tuesday Foundation is in the process of recruiting young men to join the program.

Jackson said the Tie Tuesday Foundation is hands-on and the parents and mentors work with one another to ensure the success of the students in the program by supporting them. He said the parents are happy that their students are participating in the program and the students are excited to be part of the program. Jackson has been able to receive support from elected officials including Illinois State Senator Elgie Sims and Alderman William Hall.

Jackson said that Hall supported the Tie Tuesday Foundation from the beginning because he wanted to make sure that the young men could see there were leaders in the community that were available to them. The young men in the Tie Tuesday Foundation have visited the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield. That visit left a mark on Jackson.

“State Senator Sims left one of his meetings and took them on the floor of the State Capitol and that left a mark on our young men. He took them on the floor and gave them an opportunity to see themselves in his chair and that was powerful for them to see as young people,” Jackson said. He added that it was a way for those young people to see themselves as leaders.

Jackson said he is actively trying to find sponsorships and better programming to ensure the participants are equipped for the real world, while also preparing them for their transition into high school. He said he wants to make sure they learn skills and learn how to be professional, which he knows will carry them throughout their lives. He said that the community can support his efforts with the Tie Tuesday Foundation by donating their funds, or their time as volunteers. He is currently recruiting men to mentor for the program.

The Tie Tuesday Foundation meets at St. Mark’s Church, located at 8441 S. St. Lawrence Ave. Jackson said the location for the programming is intentional because he works in the community and he wanted to be able to support the young people in the community and throughout the South side.

For more information about the Tie Tuesday Foundation, visit www.tietuesdayfoundation.org.

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