History

Unlimited Potential was launched in 2021 because our founder, Haneef Hardy, is the kind of adult he needed as a young person. By ten years old, Haneef was homeless. His teacher adopted him because his mother was no longer able to care for him and his siblings. At twelve years old his mother committed suicide. After high school, he went to college and earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree in education and sociology respectively. He taught at Furman L. Templeton Elementary School from 2007-2020.

He is currently a Professor of Sociology at Community College of Baltimore County. Unlimited Potential grew out of the many years Haneef spent listening to his students and youth in the community and his belief that challenging experiences have the potential to make children and youth strong, skilled, extra-wise and resilient. And if given opportunities and encouragement they will become healthy and successful adults with realized potential. Currently Unlimited Potential offers basketball, salon talks, field trips, art exposure, youth-led projects, entrepreneurship, and mentoring. All the programming focus was developed by listening to youth who came to his classroom and hung out. “I taught them and they taught me; I heard what they wanted and needed”, said Haneef

Our Work

We provide youth with culturally relevant, youth-centered, nurturing programming to ensure that youth have a welcoming space they can depend on to grow, build skills, laugh and heal resulting in increased life chances and economic stability.

Vision

We envision a Baltimore where youth; especially youth who are overlooked for leadership and traditional youth development programming including youth in the juvenile justice system, the foster care system, high school-age children not in school, youth experiencing housing instability, and children with disabilities develop an unshakable and unwavering vision for a bright future for themselves, their families, and the community.

We envision a future where Baltimore youth believe in that vision so strongly that their decisions, behavior, and relationships reflect that strength. We envision a Baltimore where Baltimore youth believe in themselves and their community.