WHO WE ARE

Club Esteem is a community focused non-profit that believes every child deserved the opportunity to dream of and create a life beyond their current circumstances.

Our Programs

OUR MISSION

Our mission is to inspire children in under-resourced communities to achieve academic and personal excellence through tutoring, mentoring, and enrichment programs. Together, with families, volunteers, and community partners, we are creating equity through education.

OUR VISION

Inspiring kids in our community to embrace and excel in education by providing individualized tutoring and mentorship, guiding them to becoming compassionate, college and career-ready leaders.

OUR VALUES

Community Matters
We are actively engaged in our local area. Many boys and girls join Club Esteem through referrals from current students. We are more than an after-school program: we are part of the fabric of our community.

Family Commitment
Achieving excellence isn’t just the task of our students, we also set expectations and require commitments from their families as well! We believe success is better together.

Excellence through Equity
Through access to diverse community leaders and programming, we believe students should dream beyond their current circumstances and have access to explore many interests.

A Safe Space
Students succeed where they feel safe. We provide a caring, structured environment where students feel comfortable connecting with leaders and each other.

Place of Pride
Club Esteem Alumni wear their involvement with our program with pride. We aim to be a place graduates come back to connect, share, and support.

OUR STAFF

Ellena Little

Executive Director
ellenalittle@clubesteem.org

Sherri Moody

Program Leader

Ariel Garcia – “Mr. A”

Program Leader

Martha Fay

Adminstrative Assistant
marthafay@clubesteem.org

Jordan Kelly

Marketing and Communications Coordinator

Letriona Bartell

Site Manager

Heather Walcott

Program Leader

David Stills

Support Services Coordinator / IT

Danika Warren

Development Coordinator and Grant Writer

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

OFFICERS

Ryan Maultsby

President
Specialty Sales Representative, Janssen Inc.

ALEXANDER HOWELL

Vice President

Mergers & Acquisitions Attorney, L3Harris Corporation

Edward R. Davis III

Treasurer
Retired Vice President & Treasurer, Tupperware Brands Corporation

BOARD MEMBERS

Shanel Crusoe

Information Software Engineering Manager, Northrop Grumman

Mitch Evander

Chief Intellectual Property Council, L3Harris Corporation

Dr. Munevver Mine Subasi

Associate Professor, Mathematics and Systems Engineering; Associate Provost for Academic Affairs, Florida Institute of Technology

Myles Wilkinson

Owner/President, Corporate Property Group, Inc.

Krista Soboh

Med, Educational Innovation, and Instructional Design Services. Masters in Education, Curriculum, and Instruction, Educational Technology, University of Florida

DIRECTOR EMERITUS

Kim Deffebach, PhD

President
Licensed Psychologist

COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP ADVISORY BOARD

Valeta Cameron, Esq

Attorney, Brevard Legal Aid

Katherine Stewart

Vice President
Owner/Founder, D & K Consulting

John W. Nicklow, PHD

Treasurer
President Florida Institute of Technology

Kendra Thompson

CEO
The Honey Comb Florida and Thompson Production

Candidate for Melbourne City Council District 3

Tiffany Trudeau, LMHC

Licensed Mental Health Counselor

OUR HISTORY

Club Esteem was founded in 1991 by Ms. Gladys Williams (pictured above), a grandmother who was alarmed by the challenges facing young people in her South Melbourne neighborhood near Lipscomb Park Community Center. Ms. Williams recognized the difficulty of youth making positive choices while living in a community struggling with crime, drug use, unemployment, teen pregnancy, and elevated school dropout rates. While many may have given up hope, Ms. Williams, her close friend Ms. Dorothy “Dot” Linson, and others believed that the efforts of a few could change the direction of the youth in and around their community. In the spring of 1991, they began a “club” for children guided by Ms. Williams belief that “all youth can achieve success with a solid educational foundation and caring adult relationships.” The youth chose the name “Club Esteem” and defined their goals as staying in school, making good grades, and making positive life choices. From 1991 to 2003 Club Esteem met one night per week at Lipscomb Street Community Center.

In 2002, the Junior League of South Brevard, City of Melbourne, and M.H. Williams Construction joined together to build the Club Esteem Youth and Family Center, a new 4000 sf facility adjacent to the Lipscomb Park Community Center at 3316 Monroe Street in Melbourne, Florida. In 2004, the Club Esteem Youth and Family Center opened and began offering programs and services five days per week including tutoring, mentoring, character education, cultural arts, and more.

From 2004 to the present, Club Esteem’s programs have continued to expand. Club Esteem’s after-school and summer programs currently serve 175+ economically disadvantaged youth and their families five days per week at the Club Esteem Youth and Family Center and at several satellite locations.

Club Esteem will celebrate 30 years of changing the lives of economically disadvantaged youth in 2021!

Miss Gladys passed away in 2o24. She touched the hearts and lives of countless Club Esteem students, families, volunteers and staff members. Her unwavering belief in the potential of every young person will forever be our guiding light.

Rest in peace, Miss Gladys. Your legacy of love and hope lives on!

COMMUNITY PARTNERS

United Way

As a United Way Partner Agency, Club Esteem is eligible to receive designated gifts via payroll deduction to the United Way of Brevard or any other United Way in the US. Please contact your employer to designate your payroll deduction donation to benefit Club Esteem.

Community Foundation of Brevard

Create a legacy and change the lives of economically disadvantaged youth by including a gift to Club Esteem in your trust and estate plans. Gifts of cash, annuities, property, stocks, and other assets may be made directly to Club Esteem or may be made to the Club Esteem Endowment Fund at the Community Foundation of Brevard. For more information, please contact Theresa Grimison, Executive Director of the Community Foundation of Brevard at
theresaG@cfbrevard.org or (321) 752-5505.

National Society of Black Engineers

Club Esteem is proud to have established the first National Society of Black Engineers Junior Chapter Site in the US. Club Esteem’s NSBE Pre-College Initiative program helps students develop teamwork, leadership, and academic skills; educates and exposes students to STEM fields and experiences; and encourages students to attend college and pursue STEM degrees.

Department of Children
and Families Access Assistance

Club Esteem is a Department of Children and Families Access Assistance Partner Site and provides assistance to families applying for SNAP, Medicaid, cash assistance, and social security benefits.

Eastern Florida State College

Club Esteem partners with the Eastern Florida State College Service Learning program to provide business leadership opportunities to students wishing to earn college credits.

Florida Division of Vocational
Rehab Worksite and Career Source Brevard Work Based Training Site

Club Esteem serves as a Florida Division of Vocational Rehab Worksite and Career Source Brevard Work Based Training Site by providing on the job training opportunities to community members desiring to enter the workforce.

Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida

Club Esteem partners with the Kid’s Cafe Program of the Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida to ensure that economically disadvantaged children receive healthy after-school meals.

United States Department of Agriculture Federal Child Care Food Program

Club Esteem partners with the United States Department of Agriculture Federal Child Care Food Program to ensure that economically school aged children from economically disadvantaged families receive healthy meals during the summer.

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority

Bank of America

Best Buy (Melbourne store)

Booker Heights Neighborhood Watch

Brevard County Schools

Brevard Rescue Mission

Career Source Brevard

Children’s Hunger Project

City of Melbourne Housing and Community Development

City of Melbourne Eco Division

Community of Hope

Dance Arts Centre

Delta Sigma Theta Sorority
Melbourne-Palm Bay Chapter

Delta Sigma Theta Melbourne-Palm Bay Alumnae Chapter

Eastern Florida State College

Eckerd Connects

Evans Center

Family Promise of Brevard

FAMU National Alumni Association

Florida Division of Vocational Rehabilitation

Florida Institute of Technology

Girl Scouts Citrus Council

Grambling Park Neighborhood Watch

Grandparents Raising Grandchildren

Habitat for Humanity of Brevard

Health First

Housing Authority of Brevard

Hurricane Sports Club

Jeremiah’s Supportive House

Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity

Kappa Lambda Chi Military Fraternity

L3 Harris

Lipscomb Street Park Association

Melbourne PAL

Melbourne Police Department

National Council Negro Women

Neighbor Up Brevard

Northrop Grumman

Omega Psi Phi Fraternity

Palm Bay Elementary

Palm Bay Police Department

Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity

Play Melbourne Parks and
Recreation and Golf (at Lipscomb Community Center)

PNC Bank

Powell Subdivision Neighborhood Watch

Studio D

Take Stock in Children of Florida

The Dorcas Outreach Center for Kids (DOCK)

UF IFAS Extension

Zeta Phi Beta Sorority