Welcome to the official website of The YBH Project!

First, I must thank GOD for his vision and choosing me as the vessel by which to change my community – one child at a time. Next, to my spiritual father – Bishop Victor L. Powell – God bless you for seeing beyond the natural and encouraging me to run with the vision and become an agent of change in the earth.

I never could have imagined that losing my brother (February 11, 2004) would have such an impact on me personally, spiritually and professionally. His untimely death due to complications of morbid obesity led me to desire to make a difference in at-risk youth. So, I took a “leap of faith” and created YBH as an intervention program targeting the most at-risk youth. My goal through this after school initiative is to promote healthy lifestyle and behavior changes in all students and their families.

Without the support of my “seed” sponsors: Merck and Palmyra Medical Centers, none of this would have come to fruition. They were responsible for funding the pilot project which has now spread to other schools and continue to support our efforts financially. Since that time, Procter & Gamble, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Georgia, AstraZeneca, City of Albany/Community and Economic Development, Security Bank, Phoebe Putney Hospital and the Loretta Haley McKnight Foundation have underwritten the cost of operating YBH in 5 middle schools thus far.

A special thanks to my wonderful husband, Larry Jackson – I appreciate all of your support and hard work in setting up and managing each location – for FREE. The personal training staff, dance instructors and nutritionists are to be commended also for their dedication to the students.

Childhood obesity has now been classified as a national pandemic. One in three middle school students are overweight or obese. Chronic diseases are at an all time high and are now affecting children. Southwest Georgia has the highest incidences of obesity and chronic disease in the state. Georgia ranks as the 12th most obese state in the US. Medical costs continue to rise and so does the death toll – over 6700 annually.

We must fight for our nation’s children by advocating for mandatory PE in elementary and middle schools, healthier foods served at school and policy changes at the federal and state level. I pray that my work with youth here in Albany, GA will be replicated in other areas across the state and nation. YBH is a “cookie-cutter” concept that can be utilized in other schools and communities and I am happy to share the concept with you, upon request.

Thanks again for your interest in helping me in the “Fight Against Fat” in our youth. YBH strives to educate the students during and after school, as well as sharing this information with school staff and family members. Additional programs and a 6-week camp will be added once funding is secured for the upcoming school year. Hip Hop Dance and Aerobics will be back by popular demand! See you soon……

Founder & CEO