The Riley Center is a local organization with a big mission; to help teach our children the basic life skills they need to be a good person.

CEO and founder, Leatrice Riley, joined Life.Style.Live to talk about their work and an upcoming fundraiser to make sure they can keep providing the services these children need to succeed.

Their program starts with kindergarteners right now and works with the kids through the eighth grade, when they enter high school. Starting in August, Riley says their academy will open, which will allow them to start working with four- and five-year-old children as well.

Students Gabrielle Bell and Bronx Steele also joined the show to talk about their experiences at The Riley Center and how much it has helped shape who they are.

“I really love the Riley Center,” Bronx said. “You know, I’ve been there since I was in second grade. So… I’ve been there for a long time. You do fun things there, you can be very creative and you just… you get to be yourself and then when you grow up, you get to just be what you want to be.”

Gabrielle also shared a glowing recommendation for The Riley Center.

“I’ve been there since I was in fourth grade,” Gabrielle said. “They really taught me how to work out my issues and it’s just a good place to be. If your child needs help with anything, just got there.”

Riley says watching the children they work with, like Gabrielle and Bronx, grow into respectful young adults is part of what makes the work they do worthwhile.

“I really never thought in a million years I’d be working with children,” Riley said.” And to be working with Children and watching them grow up. Like Gabby’s been with me since the fourth grade… She’s about to go to high school.”

That’s why their upcoming gala fundraiser is so important. Riley says she wanted to host something special and unique – similar to the “Daddy-Daughter” and “Mother-Son” dance you often hear about, but that was more inclusive for the entire family to have a good time together.

“I wanted something for the family,” Riley said. “Let the family come out, get dressed up, have a nice meal, be beautiful… and just have a good time.”

She says the fundraiser will help her organization keep doing what they’re already doing and helping make positive changes in the life of the youth they work with.

The Riley Center’s gala will be held 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.