Meiko Locksley, taken at Indian Rocks Beach, age 23.
PLANNING FOR A BETTER
FUTURE, TODAY
The Best Is Ahead Foundation is an organization founded by the Locksley family that seeks to establish and preserve a legacy rooted in service for societal excellence.
Our various partnerships and charitable events remain well attended and garner the attention needed to be effective and fulfill our mission.
– The Locksley Family, Michael, Kia, Michael Jr., Kai, and Kori
OUR PURPOSE
The Best Is Ahead Foundation is dedicated to empowering communities through comprehensive literacy initiatives, promoting mental wellness, and fostering awareness around gun violence and substance abuse. We believe that by providing education and resources, we can cultivate informed, resilient individuals and families.
Our mission is to create a safe, supportive, environment where every person has the opportunity to thrive, learn, and contribute to a healthier, more compassionate society.
OUR PILLARS
OUR PILLARS ARE NOT JUST PUBLIC,
THEY'RE PERSONAL
The four pillars that serve as the foundational guides for our work at TBIAF stem from key themes surrounding our son’s life, Meiko.
Meiko was reading on a 2nd grade level at the age of 4. His love of reading stayed with him throughout high school, often completing Harry Potter books within days of their release. Meiko was an easy-going kid who loved to play football. He played Division 1 football until his mental health changed.
These were 4 very distinct themes in Meiko’s life and they naturally came to be the underlying themes for The Best Is Ahead Foundation.
Those themes evolved into our four pillars:
In Maryland, an average of one person was killed every eleven hours in 2022.
Approximately 40% of students across the nation cannot read at a basic level. Almost 70% of low-income fourth grade students cannot read at a basic level.
Baltimore City (hereon referred to as Baltimore) makes up about 9% of Maryland’s population, but in 2022, over 38% of statewide overdose deaths occurred in Baltimore.
During the 2020–2021 school year, more than 60% of college students met the criteria for at least one mental health problem, according to the Healthy Minds Study, which collects data from 373 campuses nationwide.
Sources: CDC (2022), The National Literacy Institute, Maryland Department of Health, 2022 Healthy Minds Study).
OUR PARTNERS
The partnerships at The Best is Ahead Foundation help us enhance the lives of others in the Baltimore, Washington, DC Metropolitan Areas and beyond. We are grateful for these partners and continue to strive to enhance our portfolio and drive our mission forward.
SOME OF OUR WORK
PARTNERING WITH STUDENT ATHLETES
Although our current focus is supporting others worldwide who are dealing with the struggles of our pillar initiatives, our previous focus was partnering with student athletes, who dealt with the same issues.
Through acts of service, volunteering, and partnership with local communities and businesses, we coached and educated our youth on the importance of mental health practices, literacy advancement, gun violence, drug, and alcohol prevention.
Teamwork is defined as “The process of working collaboratively with a group of people in order to achieve a goal.” We strive to embody this definition at TBIAF. The Best Is Ahead Foundation, community leaders, partners, and sponsors who support our mission, are dedicated to improving the lives of others nationwide.
Want to help support our work and help us accomplish our vision?
Consider donating today.
