Chattahoochee Valley Living heard about Growth Elevation Maturity Foundation from a conversation at 11th & Bay where Keontaye Williams takes cares of his customers as one of the area’s best restaurant servers in our valley.  Yes, that is a personal observation. 

 Hearing his story made us want to share it with everyone.  It’s no secret that gun violence has taken its toll on our community. Keontaye and his family have been devastated with not one but three family members dying from gun violence.  Here’s their story in his own words of how they have turned tragedy into a mission for their Growth Elevation Maturity Foundation. 

Back in 2020 During the beginnings of Covid my parents had received a call that my brother, Jeremy Wisdom had been shot. This was April 3rd. Then in October my cousin Lamar Dontaye Whittaker was shot and then in November, that same year, another one of my brothers was shot and killed.

The name Growth Elevation Maturity came from my first brother that was murdered. He had wanted to start a clothing brand and wanted it to mean something more. Something bigger. Clothes that were meant to clothe the body but feed the soul because he always wanted to inspire people, especially kids, to be their best selves. My family wanted to keep that philosophy alive by making his clothing brand into an LLC that would eventually become a nonprofit.  In 2022 Growth Elevation Maturity Foundation, Inc. was formed. Since the start of our LLC we have done a myriad of community events:  Back to School Drives, Trunk or Treat, Easter Egg Hunt and Toy Drive for the holidays.

Summer of 2021, we teamed up with The M.O.V.E. and Fountain City Village to do a series of gun violence rallies and speeches in Columbus and Phenix City. We have never stopped, and we aren’t going stop until our streets are safe again. Our mission is to provide support, resources, and advocacy for families impacted by gun violence. We believe in creating a safe and supportive community for those affected by this tragedy, promoting healing, and working towards a future free from gun violence. We are dedicated to empowering families with the tools and resources they need to heal, recover, and rebuild their lives, guided by our values of compassion, hope and action.