After almost a decade of research, including the evaluation and funding of many children’s programs by the Holthouse Foundation for Kids, community leader, philanthropist and entrepreneur Michael Holthouse and his wife, Lisa, founded Prepared 4 Life (P4L), a not-for-profit organization that through innovative, experiential programs seeks to prepare youth for life. Prepared 4 Life is focused on building assets in children by integrating life skills, character education and entrepreneurship through our core initiatives - Lemonade Day and the Lemonade Day Experience. 

At its inception, Prepared 4 Life, in conjunction with the successful “After-School All-Stars” initiative and other community partners, created engaging, experiential, fun after-school activities primarily for middle-school students in the Houston area to empower them to become contributing members of society. In 2007, as part of its educational outreach, Prepared 4 Life launched its Houston Lemonade Day program. As a result of its overwhelming success, Prepared 4 Life has expanded the program into new cities and has developed the “Lemonade Day Experience,” an after-school curriculum for Houston-area middle schools.  Both initiatives have become our primary outreach and educational priorities.

We continue to partner with pioneers in the field of social-emotional and academic development to create a solid team of agencies and institutions with proven abilities to promote healthy children and communities.  Some of these organizations and initiatives include Search Institute (40 Developmental Assets), Baylor College of Medicine, Arise Life Skills, Houston Independent School District, Harris County Department of Education (CASE), Junior Achievement and After-School All-Stars. Together we are committed to empowering students to believe in themselves and showing them they can make a difference in the world.

Next: How does Prepared 4 Life work?