Rae’s Hope Gives Girls the Tools to Build Healthy, Independent Lives
Rae’s Hope is a youth development organization serving girls ages 5–18 from South Dallas and nearby communities—girls with enormous potential who often lack access to consistent enrichment, mentorship, and safe spaces to grow. Through a carefully layered mix of athletics, leadership-building, academic support, wellness education, and skill-based programming, Rae’s Hope helps girls develop confidence, stability, and a strong sense of self.
As a Kars4Kids small grant recipient, Rae’s Hope stood out for its deep, long-term investment in the girls it serves. Rather than focusing on a single outcome, the organization addresses the many interconnected areas of a young girl’s life—from physical activity and nutrition to emotional well-being, financial awareness, and exposure to technology—creating an environment where girls are supported year after year.
We spoke with Rae’s Hope Founder and Executive Director Angela Fields to learn how the program has grown since its founding in 2008, why sports—especially volleyball—are such a powerful tool for building confidence, and how Rae’s Hope continues to expand opportunities for girls across South Dallas and beyond.
Kars4Kids: Rae’s Hope is a holistic youth development program for girls who live in the South Dallas area. What can you tell us about the girls you serve? How old are they and what kinds of needs or challenges do they face?
Angela Fields: Rae’s Hope serves girls ages 5–18 from South Dallas and nearby communities who are full of potential but often face barriers such as limited access to enrichment programs, food insecurity, academic gaps, and exposure to community stressors. Many come from families working hard with limited resources and benefit from consistent support, positive role models, and safe spaces to grow. Guided by our mission to empower girls to take charge of their lives and become productive members of their community, we use a holistic approach that combines social skills training, fitness and volleyball, nutrition education, financial literacy, technology exploration, community service, and leadership development. Through these experiences, we help girls build confidence, resilience, and the life skills they need to thrive.
Kars4Kids: When was Rae’s Hope founded and why?
Angela Fields: Rae’s Hope was founded in 2008 by me as a longtime educator and coach who saw firsthand that girls in South Dallas needed consistent support, positive role models, and access to opportunities that many of their peers in other communities already had. What began as a way to use volleyball as a vehicle for confidence and connection quickly grew into a full holistic youth development program designed to help girls build the skills, stability, and resilience they need to thrive. Today, Rae’s Hope continues to honor that original purpose by offering programs that strengthen social skills, fitness, nutrition, financial literacy, technology exposure, community service, and leadership development.
Kars4Kids: How has Rae’s Hope evolved since it began? How many girls did you serve at the start, and how many do you serve annually today?
Angela Fields: Rae’s Hope has grown from a small, determined effort into a powerful, community‑anchored movement for girls in South Dallas and beyond. When the program began in 2008, it served just 30 girls, offering a safe space, volleyball, and the kind of consistent support many of them didn’t have anywhere else. Today, Rae’s Hope serves more than 100 girls annually through a holistic model that includes social skills training, fitness and volleyball, health and wellness, financial literacy, technology exploration, community service, bike riding, and the Fitness for Life Rally & Ride.
What makes Rae’s Hope truly unique is the depth of its long‑term impact. Many girls begin participating as early as second grade, and some stay involved for 12 years or more, growing up within the program’s support system. Several have gone on to college, careers, and leadership roles, carrying the confidence and skills they built at Rae’s Hope into adulthood. We stay connected with as many alumnae as possible, celebrating their milestones and continuing to serve as a source of encouragement and community.
This evolution reflects far more than growth in numbers—it represents a lasting investment in girls’ futures. Rae’s Hope has become a year‑round ecosystem of support where girls develop confidence, resilience, leadership, and lifelong skills. The expansion into Rowlett continues that evolution, extending opportunity to even more girls who deserve it.
Kars4Kids: Sports are a major part of Rae’s Hope, especially your volleyball programs. Why is athletic participation so important for girls? And why did you choose volleyball?
Angela Fields: Athletic participation is essential for girls because sports give them opportunities to build confidence, discipline, resilience, and leadership in ways that are hard to replicate anywhere else. When girls play sports, they learn how to communicate, work as a team, solve problems under pressure, and push through challenges. Sports also provide a safe, structured environment where girls can stay active, reduce stress, and experience the joy of achieving goals. For many of the girls we serve, athletics is the first place they feel truly supported, celebrated, and capable — and the first place they gain exposure to a bigger world beyond their immediate surroundings, helping them build awareness, curiosity, and a belief in what’s possible.
I chose volleyball because it was the first sport I was introduced to in the 5th grade, and it shaped my life in powerful ways. I went on to coach middle school and high school volleyball, and later built a successful club volleyball program. Through those experiences, I saw firsthand how volleyball could transform girls’ confidence, teamwork, and sense of belonging. Volleyball also opens doors — it exposes girls to new environments, new people, and new expectations, teaching them how to navigate the world with confidence and purpose.
When I started Rae’s Hope, I wanted to combine my love for the sport with life skills, creating a program where girls could grow not only as athletes but as leaders, students, and young women. At Rae’s Hope, volleyball is more than a game — it’s a platform for teaching girls how to believe in themselves, support one another, and rise to challenges with strength and pride, while gaining the awareness and exposure they need to imagine a bigger future for themselves.
Kars4Kids: Rae’s Hope has a Technology program for the girls. How does learning digital skills benefit the girls you serve? Can you tell us a bit about the Technology program?
Angela Fields: Rae’s Hope’s Technology Program gives girls hands‑on access to digital skills that build confidence, creativity, and future opportunity. Many of the girls we serve have limited exposure to computers, STEM activities, or tech‑based problem‑solving, so we introduce these skills in ways that feel fun, empowering, and accessible. Through our partnership with GEMS Camp, girls participate in a six‑session STEM experience where they learn coding concepts and create personalized digital charms, blending technology with art and self‑expression. Our annual Technology Day expands this learning even further, giving girls the chance to fly drones, build simple robots, explore STEM challenges, and engage with technology they rarely encounter in their daily lives. These experiences help girls see themselves as capable creators—not just consumers—of technology, and they open doors to future academic and career pathways in a world where digital literacy is essential.
Kars4Kids: Your Healthy Living program focuses on nutrition. What do the girls learn in this program and why does healthy eating play an important role in the work of Rae’s Hope?
Angela Fields: Rae’s Hope’s Healthy Living program teaches girls why nutrition matters and gives them the hands‑on skills they need to make healthy choices for themselves. Many of the girls we serve live in neighborhoods considered food deserts, where access to fresh, affordable food is limited. Some come from families working long hours or managing limited resources, and they’ve never had the chance to get in the kitchen, prepare a snack, or learn the basics of healthy eating. Our program fills that gap by making nutrition practical, fun, and empowering.
The girls learn about balanced meals, portion sizes, reading labels, and how healthy foods fuel their bodies for school, sports, and everyday life. Most importantly, they get to make their own healthy snacks—and eat them. This year, they created fruit parfaits, blended fresh smoothies, and made pizza snacks, giving them real skills they can use at home. For many, it was the first time they had ever layered yogurt and fruit, used a blender, or assembled a nutritious meal on their own.
Healthy eating plays a vital role in Rae’s Hope because it builds confidence, independence, and lifelong habits. When girls learn how to prepare their own food, they gain a sense of control over their well‑being and discover that healthy choices are within their reach, no matter where they live.
Kars4Kids: Your Financial Literacy program helps girls gain essential life skills. What issues does it aim to address, and how does Rae’s Hope equip girls to handle money wisely?
Angela Fields: Our Rae’s Hope Financial Literacy program equips girls with the essential skills they need to make wise money decisions now and throughout their lives. Many of the girls we serve have limited exposure to conversations about budgeting, saving, or even what real money looks like, so we focus on practical, hands‑on learning. The girls learn to identify coins and dollar bills, understand the value of money, and practice making change, giving them real‑world math skills they can use every day. Through our Rae’s Bucks program, girls earn play money for positive behavior, teamwork, leadership, and participation. They record their earnings in personal saving books, learning how to track income, set goals, and watch their savings grow. They can then use their Rae Bucks to buy real items during our program, which teaches them how to budget, compare prices, and make thoughtful spending choices. We also introduce the idea of saving for the future, including how bank accounts work and why saving is important. By connecting effort to reward and teaching financial habits in a fun, meaningful way, Rae’s Hope helps girls build confidence, responsibility, and a strong foundation for lifelong financial well‑being.
Kars4Kids: Your Social-Emotional Learning program is a significant element of what you offer at Rae’s Hope. What can you tell us about the need for SEL and the Rae’s Hope approach to imparting social emotional skills?
Angela Fields: Rae’s Hope’s Social‑Emotional Learning (SEL) program is essential because many of the girls we serve are growing up in environments where stress, trauma, and limited support can make it difficult to build healthy communication skills, confidence, and emotional awareness. SEL gives them the tools to manage emotions, build positive relationships, and navigate challenges in school, at home, and in the community.
At Rae’s Hope, SEL is woven into every practice. We begin each session by practicing proper etiquette, respect, and positive communication, helping girls learn how to greet others, make eye contact, listen actively, and speak with confidence. Ambassadors and volunteers lead the girls in small‑group conversations, where they can talk about their day, share feelings, answer guiding questions, and practice expressing themselves in a safe, supportive space. These small groups help girls feel seen and heard while teaching them how to listen, take turns, and build empathy.
We also reinforce expectations through the Rae’s Hope Chant, reminding girls of the values we stand for—respect, responsibility, cooperation, courage, focus, and leadership. Together, these routines create consistency, belonging, and a strong foundation for social‑emotional growth. Through this approach, Rae’s Hope helps girls develop the confidence, communication skills, and emotional resilience they need to thrive.
Kars4Kids: Rae’s Hope hosts periodic events for the girls. What kinds of events do you offer, and how do they support your broader mission?
Angela Fields: Rae’s Hope hosts a variety of events throughout the year that strengthen our mission of helping girls build confidence, leadership, healthy habits, and a sense of community. Our Fitness for Life Volleyball Clinic brings girls together for skill building, teamwork, and physical activity. The Fitness for Life Relay & Ride, which includes bike riding, relay races, and movement‑based challenges, encourages girls to stay active while building endurance, confidence, and cooperation. Technology Day gives them hands‑on exposure to coding, robotics, and digital creativity, expanding their comfort and curiosity in STEM. Through community service projects, the girls learn responsibility, empathy, and the importance of giving back. We also celebrate National Girls and Women in Sports Day, helping girls see themselves as strong, capable athletes and leaders. Our annual Holiday Celebration brings joy and togetherness as girls receive gifts, share food, and enjoy a festive, family‑style gathering. We also host Board Game Night, where girls play games like UNO and Monopoly, practice social skills, and engage in friendly competition while inviting the community to join in. Each event is designed to inspire, empower, and connect the girls to opportunities that support their growth into confident young women.
Kars4Kids: What’s next for Rae’s Hope?
Angela Fields: Rae’s Hope is already growing in powerful ways, and the next chapter focuses on both expansion and deepening impact. We plan to continue reaching new communities, building on our success in South Dallas and Rowlett so more girls ages 5–18 can benefit from our holistic model. This includes increasing enrollment, adding practice days, and offering seasonal programs. We are strengthening our leadership pathways by expanding the Ambassador Program, giving older girls more opportunities to mentor and lead. Our technology and STEM efforts will grow through enhanced coding, robotics, digital creativity, and partnerships like GEMS Camp. We are also committed to building more community partnerships with schools, churches, recreation centers, and local businesses, while increasing volunteer and mentor engagement from college students and professionals. Our health and wellness initiatives will expand to include more hands‑on nutrition lessons, grocery store field trips, bike riding events, and fitness challenges. We also aim to deepen family engagement through workshops, family nights, and parent partnerships. Finally, we are focused on long‑term sustainability by growing sponsorships, grants, and donor relationships to ensure Rae’s Hope continues to thrive for years to come.
