The Riley Community Center is a local organization that works to help the community and the little people in it to reach their full potential.

They offer programs and help put kids in a position to win and be successful.

Leatrice Riley, founder of The Riley Center, joined All Indiana to talk about the programs they offer and an upcoming event they’re holding to help raise money for their organization.

“Well, it’s not what I asked for, but it’s what I got,” Riley said as she talked about how the organization began. “I asked for a wedding event center, but God put some difference on.”

“I started working with kids and just started finding out it was a need,” Riley continued. “And then the pandemic hit and then I started seeing changes in children and their behaviors and their whole family dynamic and education.”

She said all of that has led her to where they are today. Their goal is to teach kids important but basic life skills that they aren’t necessarily getting anywhere else, like how to be respectful, a good friend and listener and just a generally good person.

Students Marquis Thomas and Nevaeh Smith joined also joined the show to share their experience at The Riley Center.

“They teach us a lot of things,” Nevaeh said. They also help us like, when we have struggles or something. They help us undo those struggles.”

Marquis agreed.

“The Riley Center has a lot of fun stuff to do,” he said. “We also have a lot of great teachers.”

The Riley Center is hosting their first major fundraiser, a gala, on July 27.

For more information on how you can get involved or to sign up to be a sponsor for their event you can visit The Riley Center online.