Believe in You. Believe in Us. We can make a difference TOGETHER.

390 Fee Fee Road

Maryland Heights, MO 63043
Darron Humphrey – Director of Operations (314)341-8358
Talanda Teasley – Director of Programs (516)761-6016
www.WhatAboutUs4Kids.org
melonkids@yahoo.com

Mentoring Through Music Impressed with Images Artistic Antics

About What About Us? 4Kids Foundation
What About Us? 4Kids Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that was started in August of
2008 by Darron Humphrey and Talanda Teasley. The need for children with incarcerated parents was
evident in statistics and in the behaviors of youth as shown on nightly news casts. In 2010, St. Louis was
named as one of the most dangerous cities in the United States; then again at the beginning of 2011. It
has been documented that more than one in every 100 adults in America are in jail or prison. On any
given day, over 1.5 million children in this country—approximately 2% of the minor children – have a
parent severing a sentence in a state or federal prison. Between 1995 and 2005, the number of
incarcerated women in the U.S. increased by 57% compared to 34 percent for men (Harrison & Beck,
2006). Seventy – five percent of incarcerated women are mothers. [ CITATION Ann \l 1033 ]

Parental incarceration creates additional challenges for children and families often resulting in:

 Financial instability and material hardship, with financial problems the most severe for
already vulnerable families and caregivers who support contact between the
incarcerated parent and his or her child;
 Instability in family relationships and structure, and residential mobility;
 School behavior and performance problems; and
 Shame, social and institutional stigma.

What About Us? 4Kids Foundation is on a mission to alleviate some of the pressure from the parents,
school system, law enforcement, and communities in general by providing children with a safe
environment to express the talents in the matters of music, photography, and drawing. The success of
our group mentoring session has given us the necessary skills to reach the children through the methods
of music and arts.

All (3) three programs are individual entities that come together to produce a product that will be sold
by the participants as part of our fundraising activities to keep these programs available and free to
students.

2011-2012 Programs

Mentoring through Music is a program that focuses on arranging music, making beats,
and the introduction to music making software. The end result of this program is a quality radio ready

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produced soundtrack created by the participants. With the assistance of the Studio Manager and
Technicians, the children will also produce the score for the music video for the participants of the
Impressed with Images program.

Program Schedule: Wednesday

5pm – 7pm
Curriculum:
Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6
Introduction to Introduction to How beats & Start recording Finish How to mix
music making beats vocals work beat recording beat and master a
together beat

Program Details:
In a group of 5-8 students, this (2) hour class is for children age 9-13, girls and boys. The class
meets for a total of 6 weeks.
Materials need:
 (3) three digital keyboards
 (2) two iMac computers
 Music Production Software
 (3) three Microphones
 (6) six pair of studio quality headphones
 (3) three studio desk
 (3) three microphone stands
 (1000) one thousand CD’s and CD sleeves
 (3) three beat making productions

The total cost to run the Mentoring through Music program on an annual basis of 6 programs per year is
$112,600.00

Impressed with Images is a program that focuses on the art of photography. Using the latest in
camera equipment, the children are introduced to posing, lightening techniques, working with
backdrops, shooting stills, and videos.

Program Schedule: Friday

5pm – 7pm
Curriculum:
Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6
Introduction to Poses, Backdrops, Start Film music Edit video and
photographs lightening props, treatment for video in produce a dvd
shooting music video collaboration
outside. with
Mentoring
through music

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 student.

Program Details:
In a group of 5-8 students, this (2) hour class is for children age 9-13, girls and boys. The class
meets for a total of 6 weeks.
Materials needed:
 (10) ten HD digital cameras
 (10) ten custom back drops
 (10) ten tripods
 (5) five laptop 4GB or better
 Editing software
 (10) ten speedlite flashes
 Batteries
 Props
 (6) six printers – (4) four small (2) two large industrial
 Ink Supply
 Print Paper

The total cost to operate the Impressed with Images program is $113,600.00 annually.

Artistic Antics is a program that focuses on the art of drawing. Children are introduced to
drawing techniques that include shading, shapes, portrait drawings, and digital image manipulation.
Our capital campaign goal for this program is:
Program Schedule: Monday
5pm – 7pm

Curriculum:
Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6
Tracing Shading Introduction to Digital Image Design a CD Showing of art
digital images manipulation cover or make in gallery.
using screen print
Photoshop and tees
Picnic

Program Details:
In a group of 5-8 students, this (2) hour class is for children age 9-13, girls and boys. The class
meets for a total of 6 weeks.
Materials needed:
(10) ten easels
Supply of art paper
Drawing paper
(35) thirty five portfolio’s

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 Art pens, markers, crayons, paints

The total cost to operate the Artistic Antics program is $66,100.00 annually.

All participants have the option of participating in an additional (4) four week program that will include
volunteer hours for feeding the homeless, collecting trash, and fund raising efforts in support of the next
class. The additional 4 week program is highly recommended for high school freshmen and college
bound students. These participants are also given first priority to volunteer opportunities within the
What About Us? 4Kids Foundation.

About Us
Darron Humphrey is founder and Director of Operations for What About Us? 4Kids Foundation; he also
serves as the Chairman of the Board. Mr. Humphrey has been an aspiring songwriter for over (10) ten
years, and while writing a song for a young lady who had just lost her father to the justice system; the
lyrics “What About Me, What About Us” was born. He is the father to eight children, eight
grandchildren, and has a host of cousins, nieces, nephews, and extended family who have all
experienced the incarceration of a parent. When the foundation first began, he wanted to provide
services that included GED preparation, furniture donations for families, job readiness programs,
clothing donations, and mentoring.

In researching the demands and available services, Darron Humphrey notices a need for increased
support for the children of incarcerated parents in regards to dealing feelings of depression, issues
caused by abandonment, and circumstances surrounding the students dropping out of school. This
research led him to find that in Missouri 1999 an estimated 721,500 State and Federal prisoners were
parents to 1,498,800 children under age 18. The focus then switched from the adult themed programs
that can be found through Better Family Life, S.L.A.T.E, and other state funded entities; to a program just
for the children. What About Us? 4Kids Foundation was then registered with the State of Missouri as a
nonprofit focusing on the needs of children.

Mr. Humphrey is currently a student studying towards his associate’s degree in Mass Communications
with an emphasis on Broadcasting and Film Making. Although he has had his own issue involving the
penal system, he is still a son, a father, now a grandfather, and a native to the streets of St. Louis. His
feels his life’s experiences can save another young man from making the same mistakes. Darron now
dedicates not only his time but the profits made from his business Shot by Shot Photography and
RecapLife Media Group, LLC to help keep this nonprofit organization available.

Often falling behind on his personal expenses, the smiles and gestures of gratitude given to him by the
children he’s helping is worth it.

Talanda Teasley is a the Director of Programs for What About Us? 4Kids Foundation as well as sits on
the Board with Darron Humphrey. Ms. Teasley is currently a Business major, studying towards her
associate’s degree in Business Management. Talanda is the mother to (3) three children and could have
very well been a statistic as well. Having her first child at the age of fifteen, she can deliver the message
to the young ladies in a language they understand. Her input to What About Us? 4Kids Foundation came

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in the form of wanting to offer etiquette classes to the children in a partnership with Mr. Humphrey. From
her weekend etiquette class with the children of What About Us? 4Kids Foundation, she was drawn in
and taken away by the compassion the children had for Mr. Humphrey.

The initial partnership for a weekend class to indulge the young ladies has turned into the business
partnership of several small business as well as this nonprofit organization.

How you can help

We are in need of any monetary support, but most importantly we need the following items to enhance
our programs and services to the point of being able to offer the programs at a sliding fee rate to low
income families with a proven need and a low cost to other participants.

(2) Transportation Vans (5) Digital Cameras with Recording Capabilities

OFFERS TO PRESS AND DUPLICATE cd’s and dvds
(5) Desk Cubicles including desk, file cabinets
(3) Large/Wall size dry erase boards
Blank t-shirts in all sizes
Art supplies
Internet Service
Advertisement and Promotions service & materials
(5) Desktop and/or Laptop Computers
(5) desk chairs
Dry Erase Markers & Duster
Screen for screen prints and/or services
PhotoShop software
Photo Paper, drawing paper, easels, paint brushes
Volunteers, volunteers, volunteers

Fundraising Activities include:

1. Annual Black Tie Event /Benefit Concert: this fundraiser focuses on the sale of seats for
$100 and tables that seat 10 people for $1200. The concert will be performed by the
groups who have made the most PROFIT from their product sales. The goal is to make
$100,000 from this event alone.
2. Annual Back to School Drive & Computer Raffle: this fundraiser focuses on donations
made on behalf of the foundation for school supplies for the surrounding communities
in which we serve. Donations of $2.00 will be asked in exchange for the chance to win a
state of the art computer (which will be donated as well) the goal is to raise $100,000.00
in item donations and sponsorship from this event.
3. The sale of program packages that include 1 cd, 1 dvd, and a screen print shirt (all
created by program participants). A single cd is priced at $5, a single dvd is priced at $8,
a single screen print shirt is $12; combined you can make a donation of $30. The goal is
to sell $90,000.00 worth of cd’s, dvd’s, and screen print t-shirts.
4. Community Picnic: this too is an annual picnic where we will also showcase program
participant’s talents, offer free food, sale raffle tickets and screen print tshirts; as well as
recruit volunteers and students. The goal is to make $2,300.00 from the community
picnic.

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Our fundraising goals are set towards a total of $295,000.00 per year. The expenses it takes to continue
to operate this program is close to $292,300.00.

The difference we make in these children’s lives is visible in their videos that they eager post to
Youtube.com and FaceBook.com hoping to become the next big thing out of St. Louis. For the past (3)
three years, this program has discovered an innovative way to reach youth through music, photography,
and art.

We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization so all your donations are TAX DEDUCTIBLE.

Mentoring Through Music Impressed with Images Artistic Antics