Empowering miracles isn’t a profession for the faint of heart.
Just ask Amos Gray.
“The work is real,” said Gray. “But I love the struggle because I’m a man of faith.”
Drop in at High Impact Movement (H.I.M.) on any weekday afternoon, and you’ll likely see the nonprofit founder and CEO helping youth navigate difficult issues like bullying, violence, teen pregnancy and more. You could call it a calling for the ordained pastor.
“We work with seven schools across three districts to serve 200-plus students,” said Gray. “Parents need somewhere for their children to be after school that’s safe. We’re making good headway in the lives of young people, and we’re also discovering things we know we must lean into more like family trauma.”
Gray leans on his own family for that leaning in to occur. It begins with his wife, Carol, a licensed social worker who serves as H.I.M.’s executive director, and their daughter, Alexis, an administrator with the organization.
Gray’s family extends beyond relation to the relationships he’s built across Hot Springs, Arkansas, his home for decades. They include community partners like United Way of the Ouachitas and the Greater Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce and corporate partners like Regions Bank.
Forrest Spicher, Regions Commercial Banking leader and Hot Springs market executive, has observed Gray’s natural ability to bring people together in support of a common cause.
Amos captivates an audience, whether it’s two or three people or 100. You can hear a pin drop in the room when he’s speaking. He has a boatload of passion and authenticity because this is his life’s mission. Supporting High Impact Movement is important to Regions because it allows us to touch young lives in a way we simply couldn’t otherwise.
“We’re thankful for businesses like Regions,” added Gray. “Every year, you gift us with $1,000 toward our LELA program to help develop citizens who work and enjoy life in our community.”
LELA stands for Leadership Ambassador Employability Learning Academy, H.I.M.’s initiative developing teenage youth into future leaders and empowering them to explore career options they might not otherwise consider.
“We’re focused on showing youth they have value and allowing them to experience seeing someone else do what they’re passionate about,” explained Gray. “That gives them fuel to say, ‘I can do that, too.’”
That too includes banking careers. Regions Bank recently welcomed students to its Hot Springs Main branch for three visits. The field trips included discussing roles in the financial services industry plus participating in an interactive Regions Next Step® Reality Check session, challenging youth to test their budgeting skills. Regions’ Albert Pike Branch manager Catherine Monroe led the session and taught additional classes on credit, fraud and identity theft.
“The Reality Check was really eye opening for the students,” said Monroe. “Several asked, ‘This really happens?’ as they realized how expensive life can be. It was a reminder, life is about choices. The best part about it was all the students had participation moments in the experience.”
Monroe will next be sharing financial insights with the students’ families. It’s fitting given family means everything to Gray. His own, certainly; but equally important, the families of youth H.I.M. serves. It’s why he’s especially focused on one of the greatest challenges students are facing.
“The trauma we are seeing in the lives of kids is often deeply rooted in the family,” said Gray. “It’s a vicious cycle; you’re either gonna deal with it and get healthy, or you’re not going to deal with it and keep that cycle going. We’re helping youth rewrite those scripts in their mind.”
Reimagining those stories happens in several ways at H.I.M.
“We’ve beefed up our mentoring program by meeting with our boys each week,” said Gray. “In our Man Up and Girls Learning and Excellence programs, we talk about life and give our youth a platform to have real conversations. We’re also working with partners around the community who can engage families in the trauma area.”
But this isn’t simply about talking the talk; Gray believes in walking the walk.
“Being that constant North Star for them is our goal,” said Gray, describing the value of serving as role models. “That has to be the goal for every youth-serving organization.”
Carol Gray, a licensed social worker, serves as H.I.M.’s executive director. In addition to the nonprofit’s focus on developing employment and leadership skills, the Grays are also helping youth and families impacted by trauma.
Gray and the H.I.M. team are observing those previously mentioned miracles occur as a result.
“Our students are growing academically, they’re engaging with each other, they’re seeing how relationships are key to everyday life,” he said. “We’re helping them get on the right track and realize who they are.”
There’s no greater reward for the man who doesn’t just face struggles, he embraces them.
“The thing that keeps me going no matter what is seeing our kids grow into mature, healthy adults in our community,” said Gray. “They know a day is coming when they’re going to be able to fly. Our kids deserve that. Not only my own kids and grandkids, but everyone’s kids deserve that.”