Isaacs Room

ISAAC'S ROOM EXISTS TO HELP DIVESTED YOUNG PEOPLE BUILD THE CAPACITY TO RISE TO THE CHALLENGES OF LIFE. WE PROVIDE EXPERIENCES THAT BUILD CHARACTER, CONFIDENCE, AND SKILLS AND A COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE WHO SUPPORT THE QUEST TO BE THE HERO OF YOUR STORY AND A CONTRIBUTOR IN SOCIETY. WE FOCUS ON BUILDING CRITICAL WORK SKILLS IN A TEAM CONCEPT THROUGH A WORKING INTERNSHIP AT THE IKE BOX COFFEE SHOP, THE FAMILY BUSINESS OF ISAAC'S ROOM. WE ALSO PROVIDE ONE-ON-ONE MENTORSHIP, HOUSING OPTIONS, PERSONAL WELLNESS TRAINING, FINANCIAL LITERACY, AND ENRICHMENT IN SUPPORT OF THE WORKFORCE TRAINING. DIVESTED MEANS POWERLESS. IN THE LIFE OF A DIVESTED YOUNG PERSON, IT REFERS TO THE STATE OF BEING POWERLESS TO FACE THE CHALLENGES OF LIFE WITH ANY CONFIDENCE OR EFFECTIVENESS. YOUTH CAN BE DIVESTED BY EXTERNAL FACTORS: FOSTER CARE, DISRUPTED EDUCATION, POVERTY, ADDICTION, INCARCERATION OR AS A CONSEQUENCE OF THEIR OWN DESTRUCTIVE CHOICES. EITHER WAY, THESE ARE THE KIDS WHO, ON THEIR CURRENT TRAJECTORY.

THE IKE BOX IS THE OUTPOST OF ISAAC'S ROOM IN DOWNTOWN SALEM . IT IS A SPACIOUS COFFEE HOUSE IN A DELIGHTFULLY QUIRKY 100 YEAR OLD BUILDING. IT IS BEAUTIFUL BUT NOT TOO FANCY, A PERFECT SYMBOL OF TRANSFORMATION HOW A PLACE (OR A PERSON) CONSIDERED BEYOND HELP AND HOPE CAN BE RESTORED AND BECOME A GEM IN THE COMMUNITY. THE IKE BOX SERVES THE MISSION STRATEGICALLY AS A SOCIAL ENTERPRISE. A BUSINESS THAT YIELDS BOTH A FINANCIAL AND A SOCIAL BENEFIT. IT'S THE FAMILY BUSINESS OF ISAAC'S ROOM: PROVIDING OPPORTUNITY FOR THE YOUTH TO WORK, LEARN NEW SKILLS, AND INTERACT WITH THE GREATER COMMUNITY, WHILE ALSO PROVIDING A LEVEL OF SELF-FUNDING THAT STRENGTHENS THE ORGANIZATION.

ISAAC'S ROOM SERVES DIVESTED YOUTH, ESPECIALLY LOW-INCOME, FOSTER YOUTH, YOUTH INVOLVED IN THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM AND YOUTH DISENGAGED FROM THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM. YOUTH IN THESE ENVIRONMENTS ARE A GROWING BURDEN ON SOCIAL SYSTEMS AND REMAIN AN UNTAPPED COMMUNITY RESOURCE. THEY ARE "DIVESTED" BEING POWERLESS TO FACE THE CHALLENGES OF LIFE WITH ANY CONFIDENCE OR EFFECTIVENESS. WHETHER VICTIMS OF UNFORTUNATE CIRCUMSTANCES, OR SUFFERING CONSEQUENCES OF THEIR OWN DESTRUCTIVE CHOICES, THEY ARE ON A TRAJECTORY TO HIT ADULTHOOD UNEMPLOYABLE AND PRONE TO FAIL, AT AN ENORMOUS COST TO SOCIETY. THEY ALSO HAVE NAMES AND STORIES AND FACES THAT STILL FLASH GLIMPSES OF BURIED HOPES AND DREAMS. THEY ARE CHILDREN IN ADULT BODIES WHO LOOK TOUGH ON THE OUTSIDE, BUT INSIDE ARE AFRAID ABOUT THEIR FUTURE. ISAAC'S ROOM IS DETERMINED TO INSPIRE THEM TO INVEST IN DEVELOPMENTAL RELATIONSHIPS, CHALLENGING OPPORTUNITIES, AND ACTIVITIES THAT BUILD SKILLS AND CONFIDENCE TO CREATE A FUTURE WORTHY OF THEIR DREAMS.

IKE QUEST IS A PROGRAM OF ISAAC'S ROOM THAT OFFERS THESE EXACT OPPORTUNITIES TO DIVESTED YOUTH AND HAS PROVEN TO BE EFFECTIVE AT ENGAGING THEM IN THE QUEST TO "MAKE (LIFE) BETTER, TO TRANSFORM THEIR THINKING, THEIR HABITS, AND THEREBY THE TRAJECTORY OF THEIR LIVES. IKE QUEST IS BUILT ON A STRENGTH-BASED PHILOSOPHY OF BUILDING CAPACITY RATHER THAN FIXING PROBLEMS. PROBLEMS LOOK SMALLER WITH THE CONFIDENCE OF UNCONDITIONAL LOVE AND THE MOTIVATION OF A NOBLE PURPOSE. THESE KIDS NEED SHOES AND SKILLS, FOOD AND FORTITUDE BUT MORE THAN THAT, THEY NEED THE CAPACITY TO GO GET THESE THINGS FOR THEMSELVES. SO, IKE QUEST EMPLOYS PROVEN BEST PRACTICES AND HELPS YOUTH GO FROM LIABILITY TO ASSET IN THEIR COMMUNITY. YOUTH ARE GETTING OFF PROBATION AND THE COURT ROSTERS, EXPANDING SOBRIETY AND WELLNESS, REENGAGING AND FINISHING SCHOOL, GETTING JOBS, AND BECOMING CONTRIBUTORS IN COMMERCE AND CULTURE.