TOLEDO, Ohio — A Toledo man is doing his part to help keep kids off the streets.
Jailyn Wallace is one of the founders and owners of Great Horizons, a mentorship program in the city.
The goal of his program is to teach kids life skills and build up their self-esteem.
"I think I've always had a passion for helping people," Wallace said. "I served in the AmeriCorps for a year, which was a blessing."
It's Wallace's background of service that caused him to want to return to Toledo to inspire younger men and women to have a better life.
"The fire was stoked from there. Someone inspired me to really go for helping kids, making a difference in their lives,” Wallace said.
Great Horizons Behavioral Health helps young people from ages five to 20. It's a program which started in the summer of 2024.
There will also be a residential facility that will house foster care youth and an after-school program for kids.
"We will be offering really great programming for those kids, something different that hasn't really been seen before," Wallace said. "An emphasis on preparing them to enter the real world, teaching them responsibility, getting them ready for college and things like that. So making sure that each kid that comes through our doors is successful."
Wallace said sometimes kids fall into dangerous lifestyles on the streets, but through their mentorship, parents like Devona Townsend are confident young kids have a better chance at a well-balanced life.
"All of our kids need this service, even mine's included," Townsend said. "You see our children acting out, getting involved in various things.
The climate for the kids is very wild right now. So I'm hoping that this program diverts a lot of them from going down the wrong path."
Wallace said it gives him a great sense of pride that he is able to help young people.
"I just really enjoy helping people. If I help somebody and I see them smile, that's all I need," Wallace said. "Just to see a kid smile after you mentor or you help them, right? That puts a smile on my face. That's all I need."
Wallace said they provide transportation to and from the program. They also do homework assistance, one-on-one counseling and group counseling.
Great Horizons is planning to expand into a new building potentially in the spring of 2025.