A school bus hissed to a stop, doors swinging open to release a virtual tidal wave of excited elementary school students headed full speed toward the highlight of their day, Scooby Time.
Greeting them was April Cheatham, shouting over a loudspeaker: “We are going to have so much fun, friends.”
Cheatham, 39, is director of community and business relations for Extreme Family Outreach, a faith-based nonprofit that visits 10 underserved communities along the Route 40 corridor each week to provide after-school education, snacks and guidance.
On Wednesday, the group met about 60 students behind the Edgewood Epicenter. The kids sat and listened intently to lessons on the dangers of smoking, the importance of not judging others and more.
The organization was founded about 21 years ago by Marlyn Gambrill, who said the purpose of Scooby Time is to engage with children and teach key life skills such as how to control emotions and be good to others.
Steve Gambrill, president and executive director of the organization and co-founder with his wife, said through Scooby Time kids have a chance at breaking away from negative trends that typically plague underserved communities.
“In order to change a community, you have to get personally involved in people’s lives and break down barriers and that is what we do every week when we come to these neighborhoods,” he said. “We build relationships because we really, honestly and truly believe there is so much potential in these communities with the kids.”
Since underserved communities face difficulties with resources, Marlyn Gambrill said their work has to “meet people where they are.”
“What separates us from the other nonprofits is that we are mobile,” she said. “We take the programs to them, where they live, and we reach the kids who feel like they are forgotten who are not doing the Boys and Girls Club or any after school programs.”
Extreme Family Outreach hosts Scooby Times in six Edgewood neighborhoods, two Havre de Grace neighborhoods and two Aberdeen neighborhoods — connecting with about 400 children every week.
Youth leaders who teach students are primarily middle and high school age students from the neighborhood’s Extreme Family Outreach visits.
The youth leadership program is headed by Cheatham who, seven years ago, was skeptical of Extreme Family Outreach when it held a Scooby Time in her neighborhood.
“When I first saw it, I told my kids we were not going over to it because we didn’t know the people or what they were doing,” Cheatham said. “I finally let them go to it and I stood in the back with my arms folded because I wanted to know what these people were teaching my children and I unfolded my arms because I liked it and have been a part of it ever since.”
Cheatham, who has seven children, said she lived in poverty most of her marriage and was homeless twice. She said Marlyn Gambrill was the main driver in providing her with an opportunity to work with Extreme Family Outreach. At first, she didn’t believe she could do the work because she didn’t believe in herself.
Gambrill said she saw Cheatham as someone who would excel in the organization’s mission due to her heart and passion to help others. “She is what I was looking for to be part of our team,” Gambrill said. “I knew she was special.”
Since joining Extreme Family Outreach, Cheatham has expanded the youth leadership program to the point that the nearly 50 youth leaders — kids who aged out of Scooby Time — volunteer to assist with Scooby Time in their neighborhoods and communities.
“I wanted to bring to the youth leadership program what I wish was brought to me at that age,” Cheatham said. “A lot of these kids don’t know what’s going on outside of their own community and I wanted them to know there is an entire world out there and that they don’t have to wait till they are my age to realize that.”
Through her work, Cheatham earned an ANTHENA National Award for young professionals under 40.
“For me, it felt like I got an award for doing something I love,” she said. “I always say these moms in the neighborhood are my friends and we shared the same struggles together.”
Cheatham’s work leading the youth leadership program furthers the mission of Extreme Family Outreach to “hire in their communities” and bring people onto their team who have lived the struggles that face the communities they work with.
“We are giving people a platform to step onto to become even more productive,” Marlyn Gambrill said. “A platform to step away from the gang members, to get their GED, to get a car, to go to college, and that ripple effect impacts the community.”
Extreme Family Outreach aims to expand its operations to every community in Harford County and to grow its youth leadership program, home visit program and Scooby Times.
To support Extreme Family Outreach, visit https://extremefamilyoutreach.com.
“There are diamonds out there and they are beautiful kids,” Marlyn Gambrill said. “That is our future and that is why we do what we do.”
Have a news tip? Contact Matt Hubbard at mhubbard@baltsun.com, 443-651-0101 or @mthubb on X.
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