ABOUT ONE HEART

One Heart Project exists to help justice-involved and at-risk youth discover hope, purpose, and a path forward. Through mentorship, life skills development, and meaningful relationships, the organization equips young people with the tools they need to navigate life successfully and break cycles that too often define their future.

Built on values like integrity, perseverance, compassion, and leadership, One Heart Project believes transformation happens when young people are seen, challenged, and supported by people who genuinely care. What began as a movement to serve underserved youth has grown into a nationally recognized effort impacting thousands of lives through restorative programs, mentorship initiatives, and long-term relational investment. At its core, One Heart Project is committed to helping young people realize that their story is not over — and that a better future is possible.

THE SECOND CHANCE PATHWAY

One Heart Project’s success is found in a holistic approach called the Second Chance Pathway, which equips youth with the skills and tools needed to navigate life successfully while surrounding them with a network of healthy adults and peers to coach them in the process.

Social and emotional intelligence learning provides the foundation upon which the experience is built. One-on-one mentoring, life skills and gap skills training follow, along with job training and employment opportunities, and a number of reentry services. This comprehensive approach results in transformation: changing lives, reducing crime, making communities safer, reducing drains on financial resources, and breaking the cradle-to-prison pipeline.

OUR MISSION AND VALUES

OUR MISSION

The One Heart Project equips justice-involved and at-risk youth with the skills, tools, and healthy relationships they need to navigate life successfully.

OUR VALUES

Relationships

Honoring others through commitment, purpose, respect and compassion

Integrity

Instilling moral values to do the right thing consistently

Teamwork

Investing in each other and our partners to transform lives

Social Responsibility

Stewardship of relationships and resources for underserved youth

CORE VALUES

Be fully engaged
Have a “whatever it takes” mentality
Sow excellence
Balance personal priorities
Do the right thing consistently
Let your yes be yes and your no be no
Communicate good intentions
Make character your greatest asset
View every challenge as an opportunity
Make failure the breeding ground for success
Demonstrate a positive attitude in all circumstances
Finish what you start
Be slow to speak & quick to listen
Be in control of your self-talk
Sacrifice short-term results for long-term wins
Use wise judgment and discernment
Serve others selflessly
Be an example worth following
Lift others up
Live with passion
Extend grace and kindness to others
Honor others
Consider the workload and time of others
Exercise humility
Deliver on commitments
Treat the business as your own
Transform culture
Be a good steward
Love unconditionally
Be a good listener
Be intentional in each relationship
Go. Do.
Believe good intent
Trust in each other’s competencies
Make a long term investment into others
Think team 1st
Create the future
Find solutions not problems
Believe in the impossible
Work hard, play hard. Have fun!

OUR STORY

The nonprofit was founded in 1997 by Steve Riach and a few professional athletes and business leaders who shared a common passion for helping underserved youth. Our early work focused on youth in urban public schools and afterschool outlets in 26 states, providing life skills curricula that produced dramatic decreases in dropout rates, drug and alcohol use, bullying and other negative incidents, and increases in graduation rates, college and career readiness, attitudinal and behavioral change, and self-esteem.

In 2012, after serving some 750,000 youth in 26 states, the organization’s focus shifted to justice-involved youth, after Steve witnessed an unusual high school football game. While Steve, a filmmaker, began to develop this incredible story into a feature film, he and friends also met Mack White, who was part of the football game. Mack’s personal story became the impetus for the One Heart Project.

The pilot project was launched at the Gainesville (TX) State School and at Riker’s Island (NY). With dramatic measurable results coming from both pilot initiatives, the project was then rolled out in other locations and has impacted thousands of youth in multiple states, giving them hope for a future.