History
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Founded in 2008 by Erick and Isaac King, the Capital Youth Empowerment Program (CYEP) was established to strengthen family dynamics and support the healthy development of children and fathers. Through four core initiatives—Fathers in Touch, Project Success, Decoded STEM Mentoring, and Fathers in Tech—CYEP addresses critical gaps in family support systems, with a particular focus on father engagement.
Growing up in a single-parent household, the Kings witnessed firsthand the challenges faced by children in fatherless homes. This personal experience inspired their mission to create programs that empower fathers and strengthen families. Erick King’s 20 years of experience in juvenile justice and community nonprofits, combined with Isaac King’s entrepreneurial expertise, laid the foundation for CYEP’s impactful work.
In January 2009, CYEP launched its first programs in partnership with the Alexandria Juvenile Courts and Mayor William Euille, serving residents of Alexandria, VA. Building on this early success, the Fathers in Touch program expanded to engage fathers across Alexandria, Fairfax County, Arlington County, and Washington, DC. Through skill-building workshops and community partnerships, Fathers in Touch has positively impacted over 900 fathers and 500 families.
Supported by organizations like the Northern Virginia Urban League and the Stafford Foundation, CYEP continues to deliver practical, results-driven programs that foster stronger families and communities.
In 2010, the Alexandria Health Department partnered with CYEP to address the challenges of teenage pregnancy by educating young men on the responsibilities and long-term impacts of early parenthood. Leveraging city resources and a grant from the Stafford Foundation, CYEP launched Project Success, a program designed to promote positive youth development and reduce rates of teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections.
Through strategic collaborations with the Alexandria Campaign Against Teen Pregnancy, Project Success expanded its reach across the community. The program’s effectiveness earned federal recognition in 2013 with a Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP) grant, enabling CYEP to extend services to key locations such as:
- The Less Secure Shelter
- Northern Virginia Juvenile Detention Center
- Alexandria Community Recreation Centers
- Boys and Girls Club of Alexandria
- Alexandria Court Service Unit
- Alexandria City High School
- Community Lodgings
Project Success continues to empower young people with the knowledge and skills needed to make informed decisions, fostering healthier futures for individuals and families alike.
In 2019, CYEP identified a growing demand for workforce development in STEM fields within the community. To address this need, CYEP launched two innovative pilot programs: Decoded STEM Mentoring and Fathers in Tech (FIT). Both initiatives aim to equip community members with the skills and knowledge necessary to pursue successful careers in STEM through mentoring, career coaching, and hands-on training.
CYEP’s commitment to community-driven solutions has earned recognition from notable organizations, including the NAACP Community Service Award, the White House Champion of Change Award, and in the NVULYPN Next Generation of Leaders and SCAN’s Allies in Prevention. These accolades reflect CYEP’s dedication to creating meaningful opportunities for individuals and families to thrive in a competitive economy.
Fathers in Tech
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Fathers in Touch was developed in the City of Alexandria and quickly expanded to Fairfax County in 2009. The fatherhood program included 12 classroom sessions, supervised monthly activities, and professional presentations, including child support enforcement, domestic violence, and mental health/substance abuse. The program accepted various clients facing challenges such as… child support, child protective services, custody, and divorce. Social services and the courts referred clients to the program. The program’s key outcomes include: 1) enhancing parenting skills, 2) lowering risk of abuse and neglect, 3) increasing father/child engagement, 4) improving co-parenting and communications skills. Fathers in Touch has served over 900 fathers over the past 13 years, with a success rate of 80% of the participants showing a lower risk of abuse and neglect and 85% indicating an increase of positive relationships with their children and family. The program provides services in Arlington County, the City of Alexandria, Fairfax County, and Washington, DC.
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Project Success
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In 2010, CYEP expanded its health and relationship skill-building services to create Project Success, a teen sexual health program, Project Success. The pilot program began as a grant from the City of Alexandria Health Department and quickly expanded to a partnership with the Alexandria Campaign Against Teen pregnancy. In 2013, the new partnership was awarded a Federal Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP) grant.
The grant allowed CYEP to extend teen pregnancy services to The Less Secure Shelter (Shelter Care), Northern Virginia Juvenile Detention Center, The City of Alexandria Community Recreation Centers: (Cora Kelly & Charles Houston Centers), Boys and Girls Club of Alexandria, Alexandria Court Service Unit, TC Williams High School and Community Lodgings Inc. Project Success has served over 1200 youth.
The Decoded STEM Mentoring Program
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The Decoded STEM Mentoring program began with pilot programs in Arlington County and the City of Alexandria. These initial pilots resulted in a $100,000 grant from the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services . The Decoded STEM Mentoring program is an afterschool program that includes STEM activities and mentoring for Black and Latino 5th grade students at Cora Kelly and Jefferson Houston School in Alexandria. The program provides awareness to STEM careers and activities, including coding, robotics, and forensic science. Each student also engages with college-bound high school and college students who provide both group and one-on-one mentoring. The program aims to provide awareness to STEM, increase developmental assets, decrease risk factors, and increase protective factors for marginalized students.
Fathers in Tech
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CYEP’s most notable accomplishment is becoming a subgrantee for the HHS Fatherhood FIRE grant for the fiscal year 2021 through 2026. CYEP partnered with NextFlex, the DOD Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Institute, to secure approximately $5,000,000 in resources over the next five years for the National Capital Region to support fatherhood and workforce development programming. The Fathers in Tech (FIT) program combines workshops to strengthen the family unit and support financial stability, individualized career coaching, and workforce development programs.
CYEP has partnered with the Eastern Mid-Atlantic Carpenter’s Union to create a construction pre-apprentice program and Melwood to support computer certification training. These partnerships unite the fathers that graduate from the FIT program in their attainment of technical skills for workplace readiness.
