Community Investment Fund Spotlight: Spectrum New Beginnings

Get ready to be inspired! Learn to Earn Dayton Communications Intern, Caitlyn Russell, is sharing exclusive stories from the recipients of our Community Investment Fund. Discover the innovative ways these investments are shaping a brighter future for Dayton.

In Northwest Dayton, Spectrum New Beginnings (SNB) is cultivating holistic wellness and self-care for Black individuals and families in a community long impacted by health disparities. With a focus on culturally competent, evidence-based programs, SNB is dedicated to supporting the mental, emotional, and physical well-being of men, women, and youth. From social-emotional learning initiatives to healing circles, the organization is responding to the region’s challenges with compassion, innovation, and care that reflects the lived experiences of the people it serves.

What excites the team at SNB is seeing people come alive again: seen, valued, and restored within themselves. Their programs are more than services—they are transformative spaces of care.

“Whether its youth in the juvenile court system learning to breathe through trauma, frontline workers receiving healing touch after carrying the weight of their communities, or women gathering in sacred sisterhood to reclaim their wellness—every offering is a doorway to deeper connection, healing, and hope,” said Taylor Johnson, Executive Director at Spectrum New Beginnings.

These moments are helping individuals feel affirmed in ways they may never have before, creating ripple effects that strengthen families and neighborhoods.

Support from Learn to Earn Dayton’s Community Investment Fund (CIF) has been a turning point in SNB’s journey. The CIF, supported by Blue Meridian Partners and local philanthropic organizations, provided an initial financial investment that helped SNB launch programming in Northwest Dayton, allowing the organization to meet urgent wellness needs in historically under-resourced neighborhoods. The impact has extended beyond funding - SNB’s involvement in the CIF peer learning cohort created space for reflection, strategy, and connection with other mission-driven leaders.

As SNB looks to the future, it is focused on growing its youth wellness programming, especially in partnership with juvenile courts and local schools. From restorative circles to creative expression labs and mentorship opportunities, these trauma-informed programs are supporting leadership, healing, and resilience in young people. With a vision to serve over 750 Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC), and LGBTQ+ youth annually, SNB is also working to onboard a licensed mental health counselor who reflects the identities and experiences of the youth they serve. This addition will deepen the organization’s capacity to provide consistent, culturally aligned care—moving closer to a community-centered model of wellness where healing is accessible, affirming, and lasting.