Peace Prep Academy: Transformative change for the “Whole Child. Whole Family. Whole Community.”

Located on the west side of Atlanta, Peace Preparatory Academy is a learning environment founded in 2015 that supports the whole community. The foundational belief behind Peace Prep, as it is commonly called, involves supporting children, their families and the wider community – all of which form integral components of a much larger ecosystem.

Benjamin Wills, the founder and head of the school, chose “peace” as the focal point because of its relation to the word “shalom” – signifying wholeness, welfare and prosperity. Peace Prep is focused on delivering growth and providing change opportunities to under-resourced and underserved communities through a high-quality learning environment.

Today, the academy supports children from pre-kindergarten through seventh grade; provides after-school programs that include a third meal of the day; plus makes safe, quality and dignified housing available for families right across the neighborhood with the support of another nonprofit, oaksATL.

The collective of individuals who help make Peace Prep happen share a rich understanding of the neighborhoods they serve, giving a depth of context to the work. It’s a passion-driven approach that has helped sow the seeds of real, meaningful change for people across the local area.

At Raymond James, our vision is to be a financial services firm as unique as the people we serve, transforming lives, businesses and communities through the power of relationships. Our firm’s values and guiding principle of putting people – and their needs – first align with that of Peace Prep’s.

As part of our commitment to the communities in which we live and work, signed in 2020, Raymond James has pledged three years of support. We recognize we have work to do, and our actions will take time to plan, implement and yield meaningful results. So far, supporting the Peace Prep initiative has included helping with food drives, hosting field days and supporting local residents as they move into their homes.

The senior managing director and chief operating officer of Investment Banking at Raymond James, Steve Hufford, is a proud board member for Peace Prep and a driving force behind firmwide involvement at Raymond James. Talking about the restorative and transformative impact Peace Prep has had in communities on the west side of Atlanta, Hufford said, “Peace Prep has created an inflection point for the whole community. When you stand and look at the academy, you see a concrete circle of transformation. I’ve yet to take someone down there who hasn’t found the work incredible.”

Adding to that, Hufford said, “It’s heartwarming to see such a high rate of participation from associates in these events. I’m proud that involvement has expanded beyond the Global Equities & Investment Banking Services team and has become a Raymond James Atlanta initiative that’s fully supported by the Private Client Group too.”

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Raymond James Cares

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