Struggle Made Us

What Struggle Made Us does

Struggle Made Us, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2021 by Aaron Green and headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. Its flagship program, Struggle University, is a structured six-week trauma-informed peer healing curriculum delivered through in-person circle sessions at partner schools and community centers across the city. The curriculum progresses from foundations and trust through trauma identification using the ACEs framework, story and voice, restorative practice and accountability, healing tools with mentorship pairing, and a graduation-to-peer-leadership pathway that converts graduates into future facilitators. Participants are predominantly Black youth in Indianapolis, late elementary through adulthood, who have experienced Adverse Childhood Experiences, concentrated poverty, and systemic violence, though the organization does not exclude participants by background.

The organization operates two interconnected commercial vehicles. First, Struggle University generates no direct participant fees; it is funded by tax-deductible donations at tiered levels ($25 supplies, $100/month sponsor, $500 cohort underwriter, $5,000 new-site launch) and by annual corporate and individual sponsorships disclosed at $35,000 in prior-year operating funding from five sponsors. Second, Struggle Made Me, a streetwear brand built in Indianapolis and sold nationwide via its own e-commerce storefront, returns 65% of every sale to the nonprofit's youth programs, functioning as an earned-income diversification vehicle.

Go-to-market is community-led and grassroots: partnerships with Indianapolis Public Schools, Cathedral, Ben Davis, Renaissance, and Believe Academy host cohorts, while referral relationships with MCCOY, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Indiana, Thrival, Voices Corp, and the Indianapolis Pacers and Colts expand reach. Disclosed outcomes include 300+ students mentored, 75% behavior and grade improvement observed by schools, and 99% skill retention post-program, against a stated 2025 goal of 15 active sites and 350 graduates.

Name

Struggle Made Us

Legal name

Struggle Made Us, Inc.

Website

https://struggleuniversity.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Struggle Made Us is an Indianapolis 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating Struggle University, a free six-week trauma-informed peer healing curriculum for Black youth delivered at partner schools, funded by donations and a streetwear sub-brand that returns 65% of sales to programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Development Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Individual and Family Services (6241)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGADAK

Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Education & Youth Development Nonprofits

SECONDARYBPAGADAM

Youth Justice, At-Risk Youth & Violence Prevention Nonprofits

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Education & Youth Development Nonprofits

SECONDARYEDAJAEAJ

Wraparound Student Support & Case Management Services (At-Risk K–12)

Education/K–12 / Primary & Secondary Education/Alternative & At-Risk K–12 Education (Continuation, Recovery, Juvenile)

Keywords

• Trauma-informed youth mentoring
• Restorative justice education
• Peer healing programs
• Youth development services
• Nonprofit streetwear brand

Headquarters

HQ city

Indianapolis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals supporting youth sponsorships, cohort funding, meals, school supplies, and college tours. Online donation integration was being developed at time of extraction.
2. Corporate Sponsorship: 5 individual and corporate sponsors providing annual operating funding of $35,000. Sponsorship tiers include Founder, Partner, and Friend levels.
3. Struggle Made Me Streetwear Brand: Streetwear brand that returns 65% of every sale to Struggle Made Us, Inc. to fund youth programs. The brand is built in Indianapolis and sold nationwide.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Struggle Made Us, Inc. operates Struggle University, a free, six-week trauma-informed peer-led program delivered in weekly in-person circle sessions at partner schools and community centers across Indianapolis, helping youth identify Adverse Childhood Experiences, build restorative practice skills, and progress through a peer-leadership pathway. The organization is funded by individual donations, tiered corporate sponsorships (Founder, Partner, Friend), and the Struggle Made Me streetwear brand, which returns 65% of every sale to fund youth wraparound services including school supplies, groceries, college tours, and application fees.

Product overview

Struggle Made Us operates two distinct offerings: Struggle University is the flagship program—a 6-week trauma-informed peer healing curriculum designed for youth (late-elementary through adulthood), creating safe spaces to identify trauma and build community accountability. Struggle Made Me is a streetwear brand that generates revenue, with 65% of sales reinvested into the nonprofit's youth programming. These offerings are interconnected: the streetwear brand funds the program, and program graduates can become peer facilitators, creating a sustainable cycle of community development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Struggle University: Six-week trauma-informed, peer-led program for Indianapolis youth to identify trauma, explore healing, and build collective efficacy through rapport and connection.
• Indiana Struggles

Products and services

• Struggle University A free, six-week trauma-informed, peer-led program delivered in weekly in-person circle sessions at partner schools and community centers across Indianapolis. The structured curriculum moves participants through Foundations & Trust, ACE-based Trauma Identification, Story & Voice, Repair & Accountability (restorative practice), Healing Tools (coping, mindfulness, mentorship pairing), and Graduation & Leadership (peer-leadership pathway). Includes wraparound support services such as school supplies, groceries, college tours, and application/probation fees. Designed for Black youth in Indianapolis (late elementary through adulthood) and their families.
• Struggle Made Me Streetwear Brand A streetwear brand founded by Aaron Green, built in Indianapolis and sold nationwide through an e-commerce storefront (strugglemademe.co). 65% of every sale is returned to Struggle Made Us, Inc. to fund youth programs. Functions as a fundraising arm and brand-identity vehicle for the nonprofit.

Quantifiable outcome

• 75% improvement in behavior and grades among participants
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature1 record

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Cathedral High SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partner school providing educational programming and advancement support. Nicole Beasley, EVP for Advancement at Cathedral, provided a testimonial praising Struggle University's work creating safe spaces for youth healing, growth, and resilience.
• Indianapolis PacersminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024NBA franchise partnership supporting the organization's work with Indianapolis youth.
• Indianapolis ColtsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024NFL franchise partnership supporting youth programming in Indianapolis.
• MCCOY (Marion County Commission on Youth)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal youth-serving organization and advocacy group that connects youth programs with resources and support.
• IPS (Indianapolis Public Schools)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor school district partnership hosting multiple Struggle University sites. IPS Black students face disproportionate suspension rates (3-4x enrollment share), making the program's trauma-informed approach particularly valuable.
• Ben Davis High SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHigh school partner hosting Struggle University cohorts for students.
• Renaissance High SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHigh school partner hosting Struggle University site.
• Believe AcademycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchool partner hosting Struggle University site.
• ThrivalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth-focused organization partnering with Struggle University.
• Voices CorpminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization supporting youth voice and advocacy.
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central IndianacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMentorship organization aligned with Struggle University's mentor-matching approach, particularly Week 5 mentorship pairing.
• SeascopesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization in the youth services ecosystem.
• SheRoesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization supporting girls and young women.
• SheExperienceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization providing experiences and opportunities for youth.
• Tru Colors IndyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal organization in Indianapolis focused on youth and community.
• Bloom ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity organization supporting youth development.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Boys & Girls Clubs of America: National youth-development organization with an Indianapolis affiliate. Comparable in delivering youth programming at community sites, but at significantly broader scale and with a recreational rather than trauma-healing orientation.
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of America: National youth-mentoring organization whose Central Indiana affiliate is a direct partner of Struggle Made Us. Comparable in mentoring methodology and target demographic, but operates as a national incumbent rather than a community-rooted nonprofit.

Direct peers

• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Indiana: Local Indianapolis youth-mentoring nonprofit aligned with Struggle University's Week 5 mentorship pairing model and listed as a current partner. Directly comparable geography, mentor-matching methodology, and target demographic.
• National Youth Advocate Program: National nonprofit providing community-based services for at-risk and foster-care-involved youth. Comparable in addressing ACEs, trauma, and wraparound needs for vulnerable youth through structured in-community programming.
• Youth Guidance: Chicago-based nonprofit operating Becoming a Man and other trauma-informed, school-based group mentoring/restorative programs for at-risk youth. Closely comparable curriculum architecture, restorative practice orientation, and school-embedded delivery.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Indianapolis: Indianapolis youth-development nonprofit delivering in-person wraparound programming at club sites. Comparable in delivering school- and community-based youth services in the same metro area, though with a broader recreational rather than trauma-healing focus.
• Communities In Schools of Indiana: School-embedded nonprofit providing case management and wraparound support to at-risk students in Indiana. Closely comparable to Struggle University's partner-site, K-12, wraparound model, including IPS as an anchor district.
• Roca: Massachusetts-based nonprofit focused on violence intervention, restorative practice, and young adult re-engagement. Comparable in targeting populations affected by gun violence and concentrated poverty through peer-led, cohort-based intervention.
• Tru Colors Indy: Indianapolis nonprofit focused on youth violence prevention and gang intervention. Listed as a Struggle University partner and operates in the same metro area with overlapping target population and violence-prevention mission.

Regional players

• KIPP Indy Public Schools: Indianapolis charter network serving a predominantly Black, low-income student population. Comparable target demographic and Indianapolis geography, but delivers full K-12 education rather than supplemental trauma-informed programming.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Struggle Made Us