Raise The Barr is a 2Gen program led by a 2Gen Team on a mission to maximize the potential of every individual. Co-founded by NFL Linebacker Anthony Barr and his mother, Lori Barr, our organization is built on their own lived experiences. We are committed to increasing the economic mobility for single-parent students by providing them with the holistic resources they need to complete their education, including the resources they need for their children to thrive. Promoting college success among student-parents is critical to improving racial, ethnic, and gender equity in higher education access. Since 2016, RTB’s methodology and leadership in the Student Basic Needs Movement have produced a 96% success rate in keeping our members enrolled through graduation.
This past November in West Sacramento, RTB opened the doors to our new affordable housing program, which accommodates single-parent students and their families while providing them with wrap-around services to ensure that they thrive as both students and parents. Services include mentoring with a Whole-Family Program Coordinator, plus monthly workshops to ensure their success in school, in their careers, and in supporting their families.
The facility, named The Huddle on 5th, is the first of this kind in California and accommodates 17 families, with each unit featuring a full-size kitchen, two bedrooms, one bathroom, central heating and air conditioning, and washers and dryers. The facility caters specifically to single parents enrolled in local colleges, offering them a path to achieving a college degree and securing a family-sustaining wage. To achieve this, residents who remain enrolled in local post-secondary institutions, trade, or technical programs will benefit from income-based housing, alongside a comprehensive program crafted around RTB's whole-family model. This model places significant emphasis on peer-to-peer support, mental health and wellness, healthy relationships, job training, career development, and financial empowerment. Its central focus is on alleviating financial burdens, stabilizing expenses, and fostering self-sufficiency.