Harnessing the Power of Skateboarding to Transform Lives

The Harold Hunter Foundation (HHF) is a non-profit, grassroots, skateboard community-based organization working with skateboarders in NYC and beyond, so that they can reach their full potential as skateboarders and as people. Their mission is to use skateboarding as a vehicle for providing underserved youth with valuable life experiences that nurture individual creativity, resourcefulness, and the development of life skills.

While New York is home to countless iconic heroes of both the art world and skate industry, it is also home to the deepest disparity and economic inequality in the U.S.. If that wasn’t already daunting enough for a young person starting out, recent data from the city’s youth census shows that 24% have experienced homelessness and 32% have reported “going hungry sometimes in the past 3 months”. HHF’s mission is to provide exposure of their impactful programs to at-risk youth and young adults, and to support their development into strong, vibrant citizens of their community.

HHF runs an amazing variety of Socio-Emotional Learning programs, Workforce Readiness programs, and LGBTQ+ initiatives to support youth’s transition to adulthood. This year, THE SKATEROOM is a proud partner of the Creative Careers program, which will provide critical employment skills, especially for young men of color who continue to face significant barriers in the job market. Through workshops, panels, events, and educational opportunities, HHF creates spaces where young skaters can network with potential mentors, share and hone their craft, develop in-demand skills, and expand their landscape of opportunity.

More info: https://www.haroldhunter.org