1. What is Tyson's Storehouse?
We are a nonprofit organization whose mission is to break the cycle of poverty using literacy as the primary vehicle to educate, equip, and empower adults in underserved communities.

2. What inspired you to start this organization?
My inspiration came from my own personal experiences, and the sometimes tumultuous challenges I have had to deal with on my personal journey. I became a parent at the age of 14, a high school dropout at 16, and an ex-offender at 18. I was making some poor decisions, but I knew, for the sake of my son, that I had to make a change. So upon my release, I enrolled in college to embark on something different for my life which was getting a good education. I must admit, that if it wasn’t for my education, my degrees, I would be caught up in the very cycle of poverty that Tyson’s Storehouse is hoping to break. In knowing how hard it has been for me to get to where I am now, it literally breaks my heart when I think of how hard it must be for someone else. Despite the struggles I now have a solid education, family support, a pardon for my charges, and a son who graduated college being raised by a single mother. This is my inspiration, motivation, and determination for starting Tyson’s Storehouse Education Center.

3. What's one challenge you face in doing this work?
The main challenge is getting people to see the value in education, and its ability to change the trajectory of one’s life. People nowadays see the glitz and glamour of Hollywood stars, athletes, and social media influencers not realizing the small percentage of people who actually find success in doing those things. I don’t think everyone has to earn a 4 year college degree, oh no, but you have to have some type of “paper” whether it’s a GED, vocational degree, certificate of completion, whatever but you must have something to be and remain competitive in 2020.

4. What gift or act would make all the difference?
A monetary donation that would allow us to expand our adult literacy program to additional counties, especially those areas that only have one or two adult literacy programs. CLICK HERE TO DONATE
This gravely limits the option for students whose schedule may not coincide to the days and times offered by these few organizations. We would also finish developing our 2nd Chance hub. This hub provides resources to our
non-violent ex-offender community members who are truly seeking to turn their
lives around. Our 2nd Chance hub prepares participants to receive their GED and develop their soft skills to make them more employable. Our Educate 2 Work Adult Literacy program has an academic pathway tailored to the unique needs of individuals with a felony on their records. Participants can work with our partners that operate clothing banks to provide them with appropriate clothes for job interviews, school visits, or church services. Welcome Home packets will help newly released ex-offender obtain a copy of their birth certificate
and GA ID card to help get a job or housing. We are also in the process of offering a support group specifically for our ex-offender community members to help address the mental health challenges that contribute to many of them returning to prison repeatedly. Incarceration isn't always the answer.

5. Where do you see Tyson's Storehouse in 5-10 years?
I see Tyson’s Storehouse Education Center as one of the premiere adult education centers in the state of Georgia. I also see us operating adult education centers in at least 3 different locations: Muscogee, Whitman, and Ware counties. It's important that we reach those communities who need our services the most.

6. What do you want our readers to know about you?
I want readers to not just know, but truly believe that everyone deserves a second chance, and that we all make mistakes. If not for the various people God put in my path to get me from the Natasha of 1995 to the Natasha of 2020, I am pretty sure you wouldn’t be reading this now. I encourage people to be a light in someone’s life, young or old, because support doesn’t have an age restriction. We ALL need it. A lot of times, we focus on the child, as we should, but adults need help and support as well. These adults are often the parents of the very children we are trying to help. I can’t stress enough the importance of being nonjudgmental, encouraging, kind, and supportive to one another because you never know what a person is going through.
Learn More at https://www.tysonsstorehouse.com

Edupreneur Spotlight: Learn about Tyson’s Storehouse Founder, Natasha Tyson, and her story of Resilience.