The Plus Me Project

What The Plus Me Project does

PLUS ME Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2013 by Richard Reyes and headquartered in the Highland Park neighborhood of Los Angeles at 6957 N. Figueroa St. The organization partners with 450+ schools and community-based organizations across Los Angeles County to deliver story-based programs that build confidence and college readiness in middle and high school students, with a cumulative reach of 200,000+ students over 12+ years. Its core offerings include Youth Workshops (a wellness and college-readiness curriculum), Adult Trainings for educators and parents, and the My Story Matters Journal — a 100-page spiral-bound guided journal sold for $20 with a Buy 1, Give 1 model that ensures parallel distribution to LA high school students. Additional programs include two flagship scholarship events (LISTEN for 9th-12th graders and IMPACT for high school seniors, with $1,000-$1,500 awards), Activate Your Story (a 5-week summer workshop), Motivational March and 100 Volunteers 100 Stories (annual volunteer campaigns), Day of Motivation (corporate volunteer program), Spark Sessions, Adopt A Classroom, and a Wildfire Relief initiative launched in 2025 in partnership with the LA Dodgers Foundation.

The underlying "technology" is a structured storytelling framework — the My Story Matters methodology — that helps students identify and articulate characters, settings, events, struggles, accomplishments, and lessons in their personal narratives. Programs are delivered in person at school sites and at the PLUS ME Storytelling Center (opened Fall 2023), with virtual workshops expanded during the pandemic. The methodology has been refined over 12+ years and is available bilingually in English and Spanish.

The business model is philanthropic rather than commercial. Revenue is generated through individual donations (including monthly giving via "Storytelling Society"), corporate sponsorships and giving programs (Day of Motivation, IMPACT/Event sponsorship from companies such as US Venture, Fandango, and dFm), foundation grants (LA2050 via Dodgers Foundation, Zephyr Impact, American Express NGen, Adopt A Classroom), event-based fundraising (the LISTEN and IMPACT galas have raised $32K-$34K annually), and modest product revenue from My Story Matters Journal sales. Programs are delivered free of charge to schools and students. The organization has stated it surpassed its $1 million budget milestone. Go-to-market is community-led: expansion depends on growing school partnerships, recruiting corporate volunteer teams, and word-of-mouth from educators and program alumni.

Name

The Plus Me Project

Legal name

PLUS ME Project

Website

https://theplusmeproject.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

PLUS ME Project is a Los Angeles-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that partners with 450+ schools and community organizations to deliver story-based youth development programs serving 200,000+ middle and high school students since 2013.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Education Nonprofit Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Creative Nonfiction & Memoir Workshops (EDAMAMAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

College Application & Personal Statement Writing Workshops (EDAMAMAN), Children’s & YA Writing Workshops (EDAMAMAF), Writing, Journalism & Publishing Camps (EDAMALAM)

Keywords

• Youth development programs
• Storytelling education
• College readiness curriculum
• Scholarship programs
• Nonprofit youth services

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: The organization relies heavily on individual donations from supporters, volunteers, and community members. Monthly giving programs and one-time donations are solicited through the website.
2. Corporate Sponsorship & Giving: Corporate partners sponsor events (IMPACT, Day of Motivation), fund volunteer programs, and provide general operating support. Companies like US Venture, Fandango, and others have sponsored programs.
3. Foundation Grants: PLUS ME receives grants from foundations including LA2050 (LA Dodgers Foundation), Zephyr Impact Spark Grant, and others for specific programs and wildfire relief efforts.
4. Journal Sales: The My Story Matters Journal is sold for $20 with a Buy 1, Give 1 model. Proceeds support program delivery.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Plus Me Project is a Los Angeles-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers free personal storytelling and college-readiness workshops to K-12 youth through partnered schools and community organizations. Offerings include the Youth Storytelling Workshop, adult facilitator trainings, two named scholarships (LISTEN at $1,000+ and IMPACT), and a physical journaling product (My Story Matters Journal, $20) sold via a buy-one-give-one model that funds program access.

Product overview

The Plus Me Project is a Los Angeles-based nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of story-based youth development programs. The core offerings include Youth Workshops providing wellness and college readiness curriculum for middle and high school students, Adult Trainings for educators and parents, and the My Story Matters Journal (a 100-page guided journal sold for $20 with Buy 1 Give 1 model). The organization runs two flagship scholarship programs: My Story Matters: LISTEN for 9th-12th graders submitting personal narratives, and My Story Matters: IMPACT for high school seniors connecting their stories to community impact. Additional programs include the Storytelling Center (physical headquarters opened Fall 2023), Day of Motivation corporate volunteer program, Spark Sessions, Motivational March, 100 Volunteers 100 Stories, Activate Your Story summer program, and Adopt A Classroom initiative. The organization also publishes student work through the Our Voices book series and maintains a Youth Advisory Council.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• My Story Matters Journal: A 100-page guided journal for middle and high school students to discover and articulate their personal stories. Available in English and Spanish versions for $20.
• IMPACT Scholarship
• LISTEN Scholarship
• Storytelling Center

Products and services

• My Story Matters Journal Physical journaling product sold for $20 via a buy-one-give-one model, where each purchased journal funds access to The Plus Me Project's free storytelling and college-readiness programming for K-12 youth.
• Mi Historia Importa Journal (Spanish Journal) Spanish-language version of The Plus Me Project's journaling product, extending the buy-one-give-one journaling model to Spanish-speaking K-12 youth and bilingual program participants.
• Youth Storytelling Workshops Free personal storytelling and college-readiness workshops delivered to K-12 youth through partner schools and community-based organizations, anchored by The Plus Me Project's proprietary My Story Matters Storytelling Framework.
• Adult Storytelling Trainings Adult-level facilitator training and professional development programs that prepare educators, partners, and community facilitators to deliver The Plus Me Project's storytelling and college-readiness curriculum.
• LISTEN Scholarship Named scholarship program with awards of $1,000+ for participating high school students, supporting post-secondary education access in conjunction with The Plus Me Project's storytelling workshops and college-readiness programming.
• IMPACT Scholarship Named impact scholarship awarded by The Plus Me Project to graduating high school students participating in the IMPACT scholarship program (e.g., IMPACT 2025), supporting post-secondary access.
• The Plus Me Project Storytelling Center The Plus Me Project's storytelling center hub program, hosting recurring in-person storytelling programming for youth beyond partner school sites, supported by partners such as Fandango.
• Day of Motivation Student-facing motivation event hosted by The Plus Me Project that pairs inspirational programming with the My Story Matters Journal product, designed to inspire high school participants.
• Wisdom Week Concentrated curriculum-focused programming week hosted by The Plus Me Project that delivers storytelling and college-readiness content to participating students, also referenced as Wisdom Week 2021.
• Our Voices Book Student-authored publication compiling The Plus Me Project participants' personal stories, presented at a Cesar Chavez community event to amplify youth voices.

Quantifiable outcome

• 200,000+ students served
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Occidental College Barack Obama Scholars ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThree-year partnership bringing Obama Scholars cohort to PLUS ME Storytelling Center for personal storytelling workshops. Cohort uses My Story Matters Journals to write about role models, unforgettable events, and life lessons. Partnership provides relatable role model for first-generation and transfer students.
• Magnolia Public SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNearly decade-long partnership beginning with Richard cold-calling in 2015. Formalized after pandemic to serve Venice campus with high-need population. PLUS ME programs reduced student conflict and improved connections. Partnership expanded to additional schools in the charter network.
• Marlborough SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue for LISTEN 2020 and LISTEN 2026 events. Partnership provides prestigious venue for annual scholarship celebration.
• Manuel Dominguez High School (Compton)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLongest-running school partnership since 2011. Educator Jason Morgan welcomed PLUS ME founder Richard Reyes to share story with 10,000 students goal. Ongoing AVID program collaboration with Black Student Achievement and data science students.
• University of Southern California Latino Alumni AssociationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPLUS ME Founder Richard Reyes shared his story with 250 scholarship recipients at USC Latino Alumni Association Fall Retreat. PLUS ME facilitators led storytelling exercises in 8 breakout rooms. Plans to deepen work in Spring.
• Los Angeles County Department of Youth DevelopmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to bring storytelling workshops to Cesar Chavez High School Social Justice Humanitas Academy. Resulted in 'Our Voices' book featuring 50 student stories about home, identity, and belonging.
• UCLA Anderson School of ManagementminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWon 1st place in 20th Anniversary Net Impact Consulting Challenge. Paired with 5 MBA students who provided recommendations on partnership outreach and key messaging guides for potential partners.
• Cal State Fullerton Educational Talent Search (ETS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerETS students visit PLUS ME Storytelling Center for week-long program. Students who arrived shy became connected through storytelling workshop activities. Partnership helps students make friends and prepare for future.
• Project SOARminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLA public housing community students participate in PLUS ME workshops. Partnership helps students from under-resourced backgrounds recognize their stories as powerful assets for college applications.
• Fox 11 (KTTV)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPLUS ME featured in Community Champions series with two-part television segment. Christine Devine shared how My Story Matters Journal helped her build relationship with birth father. Provides media visibility and credibility.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• The Moth: Storytelling platform and live event series with an education program that brings storytelling workshops to schools. Comparable storytelling methodology and youth education programs, though broader adult storytelling brand.

Direct peers

• StoryCorps: National nonprofit collecting and sharing personal stories through audio recordings, with strong education programs in schools. Comparable in personal narrative methodology and school-partnership GTM, but operates at significantly larger scale.
• 826 National: A national network of youth writing and tutoring centers offering creative writing workshops, tutoring, and publishing opportunities for students. Directly comparable to PLUS ME's youth workshop and storytelling model, serving K-12 with similar in-school and community-based delivery.
• 826LA: Los Angeles-based affiliate of 826 National providing writing and tutoring programs for students in LA. The most direct local peer, operating in the same geography with a similar creative writing workshop model.
• Youth Communication: Nonprofit that publishes true stories by teens and supports youth writing workshops. Comparable in youth personal narrative publishing (Our Voices book) and workshop methodology.
• Narrative 4: Nonprofit using story exchange to build empathy and connection among youth, with school-based programs. Closely aligned with PLUS ME's storytelling-for-empowerment model and youth/educator target audience.

Emerging players

• WriteForce: Nonprofit connecting professional writers with underserved youth for mentorship and storytelling workshops. Comparable storytelling methodology and youth audience, but smaller scale and more focused on mentoring relationships.
• PowerMyLearning: Nonprofit supporting student learning through technology and partnerships with schools. Comparable school-district GTM and youth development focus, though with a technology-enabled delivery model versus PLUS ME's in-person workshops.

Regional players

• First Graduate: Bay Area-based college access nonprofit serving first-generation students. Comparable target audience and college-preparation mission, though geographically distinct from PLUS ME's LA focus.
• College Spring: Nonprofit providing college access support, including essay preparation, to high school students. Overlapping college-readiness mission and student segment with PLUS ME, particularly relevant to the college essay prep use case.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCKeRDPhURysZZ3JrZKOFMHA
• Facebookfacebook.com/theplusmeproject
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/6404294
• Instagraminstagram.com/theplusmeproject

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 The Plus Me Project