Welcome to G.E.A.R. Inc. (Growth, Education, and Responsibility, Inc.). GEAR is a non-profit 501c3 organization that serves youth and families in the Detroit Metropolitan Area. GEAR is primarily an education and literacy organization that provides programs to help youth and adults with learning and economic challenges through training and shelter. Educational programs target the increase of basic reading and writing, speech, and math skills necessary to obtain employment, self- sufficiency, and successful advancement in the workforce. Programs are also designed to help those in need with the many other necessary resources to secure employment and independence long-term.

As one of the poorest cities in the United States, a third of Detroit’s residents and 45% of all children and youth live below the federal poverty line. The Detroit Public School District has a graduation rate of only 21% for those graduating on time with a regular diploma (Editorial Projects in Education, 2006). The Motor City also has one of the highest unemployment rates among 49 regions nationwide, with more than 500,000 people.

These factors place undue economic hardships on youth entering the workforce and their families who support them. Successfully tackling poverty or homelessness requires more than just putting a roof over one’s head. Learning plays a key part in improving confidence, identifying opportunities for change, and helping people fully participate in the economy. This is the aim of GEAR to empower its clients to achieve independence.