My Delavan Grider Story- Kelly Diane Galloway

As I reflect on my journey, it’s impossible not to give credit to the Delavan Grider Community Center for shaping me into the person I am today. I’ll never forget the day I first walked into that center. I was about to be a junior at Hutch Tech High School, and the director at the time stopped me at the door. “I’ve heard about you,” he said, “and if you fight up there, you can never come back.” It was a blunt warning, but it marked the beginning of a transformation for me.

The center quickly became one of the most fun places in my life. It wasn’t just a safe space—it was a place of growth and discovery. I learned how to cook, helped younger kids with their homework, and for the first time, I experienced what it meant to be a mentor. That feeling of giving back, of helping someone else, was so fulfilling that I realized I wanted nothing more than to keep coming back. So, I quit fighting.

There’s one memory that sticks with me to this day. I was out in the yard during a GC Basketball Game when a girl, standing outside the gate, tried to pick a fight with me. She said everything she could to get under my skin, and eventually, she struck a nerve. I stood up, ready to head out to the street and fight her. But then I felt a firm grip on my arm. It was Nafeesah Habeeb, the after-school program director. She looked at me and said three simple words: “Stay in the gate.”

Those words, though seemingly small, changed the course of my life. Nafeesah was telling me something deeper: don’t waste time on those who haven’t invested in their own healing, and don’t let distractions pull you away from your destiny. That moment marked a turning point for me, and I carry those words with me to this day.

This is why I love the Delavan Grider Community Center so much. It’s more than just a place where people can dream; it’s a place where dreams are nurtured, shaped, and perfected. It’s where I learned not just about who I was, but about who I could become. And for that, I will forever be grateful.

— Kelly Diane Galloway, Founding Director of Project Mona’s House