© Wilmington WECT Contribution Each month, we highlight local nonprofits that don't always get the attention and share how they're making a difference in our community.WILMINGTON, NC (WECT) - Easily confused with Santa's Workshop.
Every day, starting at 4 am, teenagers from Wilmington come to work in the hope of earning extra money. Kids Making It, a non-profit organization, not only teaches students how to make trees, but also gives them the opportunity to sell their creations.
From entrepreneurship to social skills, Kids Making It's dedicated staff and volunteers have three main goals: to keep teens in school, stay out of trouble, and help them get into college or their future careers.
“They build their self-esteem, their image of themselves, their ability to feel like they can actually achieve what they set out to do, and then they can make money doing something positive,” said CEO Kevin Blackburn. .
That's because everything teens make, from Christmas decorations to cutting boards, can be sold at Kids Making It's gift shops. All proceeds are returned to the student who created the subject.
Blackburn said her students collectively earned $6,000 last month. Some students earn hundreds of dollars every month from Kids Making It.
Their five programs include after-school opportunities, job training, and internships. There are currently over 500 students participating in the program.
“We can train with kids, we have a lot of volunteers, a lot of staff, kids can see us all the time so they see the same adults,” Blackburn said. "It's a place where they feel really supported and appreciated, which is important to us."
Kids Making It accepts cash donations through its website and in-kind donations such as wood and tools for student use.
It also relies on dedicated volunteers who are passionate about carpentry or the arts.
This organization is dedicated to supporting students from low-income families. Any teenager who wants to learn how to make a tree can register online after school.
A lot of kids came in, they were quiet, introverted, introverted and not quite sure they could be carpenters,” Blackburn said. "We showed them that anyone can learn carpentry, they just need to think."
