Presenting...Karen Gant

Founder of Ground Zero Elevated, Karyn Gant (Source: Karyn Gant)

Painesville resident Karyn Gant is the founder of Ground Zero Elevated, a non profit organization that is dedicated to meeting the needs of people both in and outside of the community. The organization’s mission is to help individuals in need…regardless of the situation.

Spending time with her nieces and nephews is what sparked Gant’s passion for working with children. Her career and community outreach allows her to spend a considerable amount of time working with youth.

“Other children… I would protect them just like I would protect these children (her nieces and nephews),” Gant said. “I think that passion is already in me. I love just being a doting auntie.”

Gant was first approached with the idea for the organization by a woman in her church. The woman told Gant that an angel came to her in the middle of the night to tell her that she, Gant, and another individual were supposed to devote time to working with young people.

“She told me ‘it's up to you to move forward or not,’” Gant said. “‘I'm being obedient and am doing what I'm supposed to do. That's up to you to do what you want to do.’”

Although she spent years working with children, Gant had never been responsible for a nonprofit. After reflection and research, she made the decision to move forward with the organization, naming it “Ground Zero Elevated.”

“We’re starting basically from the ground and can only move up.” Gant said. “We can only elevate.”

Ground Zero Elevated hosting a shoe drive. The organization was able to collect over 500 boxes of shoes and donated them to children in the community (Source: Karyn Gant)

Ground Zero Elevated is dedicated to meeting the needs of others…regardless of the cause. While the organization has donated Christmas gifts to toy drives and provides requested goods to different causes, they also strive to help meet people’s basic needs. For instance, Gant visits lower income neighborhoods and gives basic essentials to children in need. Gant’s taking the time to build a connection with children, in a sense, reflects the organization’s core beliefs: helping people…even if it’s simply being someone they can depend on for support.

“People ask me ‘what does Ground Zero deal with?’” Gant said. “I was thinking to myself, ‘what do we do?’ I (responded saying)‘we just get in where we can fit in.’”

Ground Zero Elevated provides children with opportunities to participate in a range of activities, like bowling and skating. Gant’s goal is to organize productive activities that ultimately act as positive outlets. Each activity is free of charge.

Her years working in the school system allowed Gant to recognize the need for Ground Zero Elevated (and organizations like it).

“There's so many dysfunctional homes and there’s so much love needed, right? There's so much needed,” Gant said. “Being the president of Ground Zero Elevated, to me, is not always about giving something material. Sometimes, just holding, hugging… I make sure to do a lot of that.”

When Gant isn’t helping others through Ground Zero Elevated, she continues her community outreach efforts as the ambassador for the Lake County NAACP youth committee. She works tirelessly to find new ways to expand and enhance youth outreach. She works with five teens who also happen to be members of Ground Zero Elevated. They focus on establishing honesty and trust, her goal being to make them “vulnerable young men.”

Left: Karyn Gant pictured with a member of the NAACP men’s youth group at the Lincoln Electric Job Fair; Right: members of the NAACP young men’s youth group (Source: Karyn Gant)

“We meet once a month and our motto is ‘what's spoken at this table, stays at this table,’” Gant said.”

Since it was founded, Ground Zero Elevated has expanded in a number of ways. The organization now has more resources to support their outreach. They work with other sponsors to provide necessities for families, and during the holiday season, they select a deserving family to receive a Christmas celebration sponsored by the organization.

Through Ground Zero Elevated, Gant hopes children understand that there are trustworthy adults who genuinely care about their well-being. She explained that for some children, negative circumstances at home can prevent them from recognizing this. However, she strives to combat this by demonstrating love.

“They helped me when I didn't have any school clothes,” Gant said in reference to what she hopes resonates with children. “She helped me when we didn't have a Christmas and she helped me when my mom couldn't afford a turkey to be put on the table. You know? Just trust that they're loved.”

Gant emphasizes the importance of being involved in the upbringing of children in (and outside of) the community.

“It takes a village, whether it's the neighbor down the street, grandma, your church, your school, right, those are villages,” Gant said. “Those are villages because these are people that spend time with your children.”

To learn more about Ground Zero Elevated, contact Karyn Gant at karyn.gant@pcls.net.