Our Story
Founded in 2022 by a group of educators and community leaders, Northstar began as a small weekend meetup in a college dorm room. We witnessed firsthand how a single caring adult can change a child’s life—whether by sparking a love of science, cheering them on at their first public performance, or simply believing in their dreams. Today, that spark fuels every program we run.
Northstar operates out of Cleveland, Ohio—a city where in 2023 nearly 35,000 children (48.4% of its youth) lived in poverty. We saw neighborhood after neighborhood struggle to secure safe homes, access mental health care, and find quality learning opportunities. Driven by the belief that “Where Dreams Become Direction,” we set out to transform hardship into hope through three interconnected pillars: a mentorship program, community events, and hands-on learning workshops (Community Solutions).
Guided by our promise and slogan— “Where Dreams Become Direction”— our story is far from finished as we are expanding from Cleveland to communities across the nation.
MIssion STatement
At NorthStar, we illuminate pathways for underrepresented youth to rise beyond systemic barriers by delivering mentorship, trauma-informed care, educational access, and data-driven community engagement.
Why Education?
Knowledge turns dreams into achievable directions. But for too many low-income youth, opportunities to learn and thrive remain painfully limited. A young person from a low-income family is almost 4 times as likely to leave high school without a diploma compared to someone from a high-income family (U.S. department of Health and Human Services). In cities like Detroit, only 5% of eighth graders read at a proficient level (Michigan Capitol Confidential) – meaning 19 out of 20 students are falling behind. This is the reality for many communities.
Education isn’t just academics – it’s also the practical skills for adulthood. For example, more than half of U.S. teenagers failed a basic financial literacy test (Opp U), highlighting a nationwide gap in life-skill education. Without understanding budgeting, credit, taxes, or other fundamentals, many young adults face steep challenges in building financial stability and independence.
At Northstar, our commitment is clear: we help youth build a strong foundation of knowledge and skills. We do this through three interconnected pillars – a dedicated mentorship program, inclusive community events, and hands-on learning workshops – that together empower young people to turn their dreams into clear, achievable directions.