Moving Communities
Forward

We at Grace-Mar have a vision to use workforce development as a catalyst to move individuals, families and communities forward both socially and economically.

Continue The Conversation

About Us

Grace Mar Services Inc, started out as a nonprofit housing counseling organization, was founded by Kenneth and Grace Smith in 2009. Kenneth named the organization after his wife Grace and his mother Margaret.
The agency received its first charitable donation from Regions Bank for $150 in 2010. Ten years later the agency received a $1.5 million grant from the US Department of Labor.

Today Grace Mar is a combination of several companies including: a software company, a leadership and training division and a consulting firm. These companies continue to serve individuals, families, and communities in the areas of workforce development and economic growth and mobility.

Our goal is to use the expertise that we have developed over the past years to build "Stronger, More Resilient Communities of Color"

2012 NAHRO Awardee
2013 Community Partner of the Year by Convergys
2013 Triangle Leadership Award - Workforce Development Board
2014 Triangle Leadership Award - Workforce Development Board
2015 Awarded Outstanding Achievement in Professional Services - Minoirty Diversity Supplier Council

2016 5-Year Services Award - Community Action Organization

2017 Future 50 Smart CEO - CEO Magazine

2018 Community Award for Excellence OJT Program - Workforce Development Board

2018 Distinguished Partnership Award

2019 Local Legend Award - Northeast Seventh-Day Adventist Church

2022 Service Excellence Award - Mecklenburg County

2022 Spirit of Fatherhood Award - Mecklenburg County

Our Work

Youth Programs

50% of the African American Population in the US is 30 years or younger. We must prepare and empower this group.

In 2023, Black or African-American individuals aged 16 to 24 had the highest unemployment rate compared to older age groups. (Per Statista)

Black (men) youth ages (16-24) have the highest underskilled rate. (Per Statista)

Learn More

Fatherhood Programs

63% of youth suicides are from fatherless homes (US Dept. Of Health/Census) – 5 times the average.

90% of all homeless and runaway children are from fatherless homes – 32 times the average.

85% of all children who show behavior disorders come from fatherless homes – 20 times the average.

Households without fathers are 4 times more likely to live below the poverty line.

80% of rapists with anger problems come from fatherless homes (National Institute of Justice).

85% of youth incarcerated come from fatherless homes.

Learn More

Digital Literacy

Only 30% of all African Americans have access to high-speed internet.

African Americans are ten years behind their white counterparts in terms of digital literacy.

Generative Ai will add $15.7 trillion the globlal GDP and will create 12 million net new jobs by 2030. While 40% of all of the jobs held by African Americans will be elimnated by AI by 2030 per the State of Black America Report publised in 2020 by McKinsey.

Pew Research Center states that only 15% of low income indvidiuals have knowledge of AI, conversley 52% of middle and upper income individuals not only have knowledge of AI, but they are also using AI for everyday tasks.

Minority Business Ownership

African Americnas only own 3% of all businesses in the US

96% of all of the businesses that are Black Owned are solopreneurs

A person of color is four times more likely to get hired by a black-owned company or if the hiring manager is black.

Only 6.3% of all managers in the US report being black

43% of all Black Americans in the workforce made less than $30kper year, and we are overrepresented in the country’s lowest paying jobs.

AI or business re-engineering will eliminate 40% of the country’s lowest-paying jobs by 2030, which are predominately held by African Americans.

Based on the above statements if we don’t help black businesses to grow, scale and create jobs for and in their communities, where will people of color go for jobs?

Learn More

Rural Communities

According to the CDC, rural areas have higher mortality rates and lower life expectancy, often due to limited access to healthcare services, especially preventative care.

The digital divide is particularly pronounced in rural communities. The Pew Research Center found that 25% of rural Americans report not having broadband internet access at home, compared to only 2% of urban Americans.

Low-income rural households face challenges due to both limited access to affordable healthy food and transportation barriers to reach stores that offer nutritious options

Learn More