Empowering Communities Through Service

Carolyn Taylor & Patrice Smith started a program entitled

S.H.A.C.C. (Striving for Higher Achievements in the Classroom &

on the Courts) in 1996. These two mothers watched their kids

and their friends develop an undeniable passion for basketball.

They figured if the youth could get that same passion in life, then

they could develop into well rounded people. This Program was

ahead of its time, where life skills and cultural awareness was the

main focus. In the program at MATA youth produced their own

45 minute show about issues they faced everyday. They also

learned life skills such as black history that wasn’t taught in

school, etiquette, basketball skills, as well as community service.

Youth began serving hot meals and distributed 25 turkeys at

Sherman Park Lutheran Church in 1998. Mike Taylor was one of

the older members in the S.H.A.C.C. program and that helped him

realize the need for programs like this in the community. So in

2009, he had a vision to revise his childhood experience that

included the S.H.A.C.C. program and that developed into the non-

profit now known as the Taylor-Made Foundation.