‘Our goal is to help kids find what they’re passionate about’: A blueprint for a better community

There is a quote from the late singer Whitney Houston that says “I believe the children are our future…” Many would agree there is some truth to that, others not so much. Whatever side of the coin you may choose, there is one man involved in our local community who agrees wholeheartedly with this statement. 

Introducing Tony Miller, director of Hope And A Future Blueprint and Unity For Youth. Miller was somewhat of a star basketball player back in his Port Huron High School days, good enough to earn him a scholarship to Grand Valley State University. It’s there where he learned lessons that he would later use to execute his plans for a better community.
 
“In one of my business classes I had to do a report on a country, and I chose China. In the year 2000, China had a 2050 plan — they were planning 50 years out. That made me realize I need to start planning further ahead to accomplish a larger goal,” says Miller. 

“Our goal is to help kids find what they’re passionate about,” says Miller. “What’s your purpose, what are you here for, how can you contribute to this community?“Back in 2009, Miller was involved in a project called the Christian Community Collaboration Initiative. This project brought churches, businesses, and community organizations together to assess what the community needed to become better at as a whole.

“One of the big things I saw was a big hole for the youth and what we needed to do for the youth,” Miller says. This led to Miller, with the help and support of his church, Restoration Christian Community Church, creating Unity for Youth in 2010. 

Unity For Youth helps inspire and educate young people in the local community to discover their potential and prepare for life in later years. This is achieved through events such as youth entrepreneur seminars, homework help, leadership development, and college tours. 

“Our goal is to help kids find what they’re passionate about. What’s your purpose, what are you here for, how can you contribute to this community? Then we connect you to the resources that will begin to develop that thing that's in you so that you can contribute to the community,” says Miller.

Along with Unity For Youth, Miller is also Director of Hope And A Future Blueprint (HAAFB) which was started in 2019. HAAFB is geared more towards teens in the local area, and helping them continue on their path of learning and artistic expression.

“What Hope And A Future is about is that after we have developed them as youth, now it’s time to start getting you active in using what your gift is, so you can start practicing it, and getting connected to a network,” Miller says. 

Unity is a big deal to Tony Miller. He believes that greater goals can be achieved when the community works together. “I’m always trying to find ways to highlight and bring people together,” says Miller.

When the younger generation is given the proper education, skills, and training to be a success today, that will lead to adults who are better equipped to deal with the problems of tomorrow.