About dbg
Our Mission
In a world that has failed too many young people, we create personalized opportunities where they can set down their burdens and pick up their potential – in spaces to be curious, to grow, to connect, and to lead. Rooted in trusted relationships, we champion shared power, owning your voice, and leading lasting change. Whatever it takes, for as long as it takes.
The Downtown Boxing Gym is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Every dollar contributed helps us grow our program and changes lives.
Our culture statements
Don't Ask Someone To Be Something You're Not Being
Each and every one of us is a role model. We all need to walk the walk and talk the talk
We Don't See Bad Kids; We See Kids Who Haven't Been Heard Yet
Everyone who walks through DBG’s door deserves to be seen and heard, and it is our responsibility to maintain a space where our community can let their guard down and be themselves. Ask questions, be curious, and always give the benefit of the doubt.
Focus on Why You Are Here, Not What You Will Get Out Of It
Now, more than ever, we are looking to our team and all of DBG’s supporters to make a deeper impact in the lives of the children we serve.
It's not just about you
We make decisions with our mission and students at the center, and we always remain humble.
For almost two decades, DBG has built deep connections with students and their families, measuring our impact through annual evaluations and ongoing dialogue. This longitudinal approach allows us to understand each student’s unique journey – their challenges, opportunities, and dreams. By staying responsive to our community’s needs and adapting our support accordingly, we continue to evolve and scale our impact effectively. Every piece of data represents a real story, helping us strengthen the foundation of support we provide to each student in our community.
academic
100%
Graduation Rate
Since program inception in 2007
98%
Post-secondary Education Continuation
5.5+
Reading Levels
Average annual literacy gains
84%
Math Gains
Share of DBG students improving their math grades
social - emotional
+10%
Adaptability
Increase year-over-year in the ability to apply and adjust skills in difficult settings
+12%
Self-Efficacy
+14%
Sense of Agency
+11%
Self Regulation
parents & alumni
1,500
350+
Active alumni network
10
DBG’s Parent Committee
98%
of parents say DBG has a significant and lasting or positive impact on their child’s life
44%
reported a positive behavior change
Growth Plan Overview
Every week, more Detroit families connect with us, ready to join a community where their children can thrive and reach for the stars – that’s why over 2,000 students are eager to be part of our village. These families recognize the power of coming together, of building something extraordinary for Detroit’s future. We’re growing to meet this momentum by expanding our campus with The Constellation – a new three-story, 22,000-square-foot space designed to be a beacon of possibility. Like the stars that guided our ancestors, this space will light the way for 500 more young dreamers through our state-of-the-art STEAM Lab, collaborative community spaces, and the DBG Academy. The Academy will become a center for sharing our proven approach, helping other communities create their own constellations of support. When you invest in DBG, you’re investing in the future – igniting new stars in our city’s constellation of excellence – and beyond.
Program Expansion
$20,000,000
Capacity Building
$12,000,000
$10,000,000
Sustainability
$8,000,000
impact statements
our partners
The A.A. Van Elslander Foundation
Jeff Addison
Ally Charitable Foundation
Amazon
American Idea Foundation
AmeriHealth Caritas
Paul and Susan Anderson
The Ballmer Group
The Bear Hug Foundation
BFF Friendship Foundation
Chris and Mrs. Janice Billmeyer
CAPTRUST Community Foundation
Carhartt
The Carls Foundation
John and Joanne Carter
Chan Zuckerberg Initiative
Charles Stewart Mott Foundation
The Children’s Foundation
Co.act Detroit
Paulette Cole-Cooper
Comcast NBC Universal
Comerica Bank
Community Connections of NY, Inc.
Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan
ConAgra Foods
The Corey Law Firm
Daimler Truck North America
Del Bene Produce
Detroit Lions
Detroit Labs LLC
DICK’S Sporting Goods
Vera and Joseph Dresner Foundation
Matthew and Jennifer Duffield
Eagles for Children, Inc.
Facebook
FACES for the Future Coalition
Peter and Courtney Fezzey
Flagstar Bank
Ford Motor Company
Ford STEM
Forgotten Harvest
Gale, Cengage Learning
Gardiner C. Vose, Inc.
General Motors Foundation
The Gilbane Foundation
Gilbert Family Foundation
The Holley Foundation
H.T. Ewald Foundation
Ilitch Charities
Impact100 Metro Detroit
I Support the Girls
ITC Transmission Company
J3 Advised Fund
Jamie & Denise Jacob Family Foundation
The Jewish Fund
Joel Jacob
JPMorgan Chase & Co.
Jody and Glenn Kohner
KLA Corporation
KLA Foundation
The Kresge Foundation
Lear Corporation
Learning by Giving Foundation
Kristin and Bob Lenz
Library of Congress
Lighthouse Michigan
LoVasco Consulting Group
lululemon athletica
Marshall Mathers Foundation
MarxModa
The Derek and Shelaine Maxfield Family Foundation
McGraw-Hill
McGregor Fund
McLaren Health Plan
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC
Michigan Department of Education
Michigan Economic Development Corporation
Michigan Health Endowment Fund
Microsoft
Ethel Molnar
David Moss and Sharon Mayone
National Science Foundation
NFL Foundation
Nike Community Impact Fund
Jacques Panis
The Pathways Foundation
John Perentesis
Peter Basso Associates
Tom and Jeanne Petzold
Stephen Luigi Piazza
PNC Foundation
William Poulos
PwC
Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation
The Ray of Light Foundation
Rehmann Foundation
Rite Aid Healthy Futures
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Rocket Community Fund
Rocket Family of Companies
The Wendell and Doris Rogers Foundation
Jim and Rose Ryan
Sara Ross
ROSSETTI
Russell Family Foundation
Salesforce
Sachse Construction
Schostak Brothers & Co.
Kurt and Deanna Schwarz and Family
Sephora USA, Inc.
Sewell Strong Foundation
Shamrock 555 Foundation
Sue Shanabrook
The Skillman Foundation
SlipNOT Safety Flooring
Stand Together Foundation
Stellantis
Sticky Be Apparels. LLC
David Streit
Subaru of America
Target Corporation
Bradley and Jennifer Taylor
Susan and Michael Taylor
Thomas Built Buses
Tides Foundation
The Tom Kowalski Foundation Inc.
Toni A. Wisne Foundation
The Trico Foundation
United Way for Southeastern Michigan
Mike and Melissa Valenti
Walmart
Carol and Pete Walters
Walters Family Foundation
Wayne County
Nancy and Steve Wiley
World Wrestling Entertainment
Yield Giving
Young Woman’s Home Association
FAQs
The Downtown Boxing Gym was founded in 2007 by internationally recognized coach and youth mentor, Khali Sweeney. He opened the doors to our free, out-of-school time program with passion, purpose and a mission to help young people succeed.
Over the years, our team has grown to include our professional academic staff, volunteer tutors, coaches and others to provide the resources and educational opportunities our students need and deserve. Growing up, Khali didn’t have those things and he struggled.
He founded DBG to ensure students in and around the Detroit area have the support they need to learn, thrive and accomplish great things. We’re proud to have maintained a 100% high school graduation rate since 2007. At DBG, we train kids for life.
DBG has a capacity of 250 students, aged 8-18 from over 40 differents zip codes and over 50 schools, coming a minimum of 3x per week.
Additionally, DBG supports 350+ program alumni and 600+ students and families.
DBG is funded through generous donations from foundations, corporations and individual
donors in our local community and around the world. We are truly thankful for this support,
which helps to change young lives. If you’d like to learn more or make a donation, click here.
We know the demand for our services is great. We currently have a waiting list and we’re working hard to change that; when space opens up, we select students from our waiting list at random, with a priority given to family members of current DBG students and students who are already enrolled at the schools that are existing partners of DBG.
All incoming families sign a handbook that outlines our requirements and expectations for
successful participation in our program.
Some of the basics include:
- Students must be 8-18 years of age
- Have current report cards on file
- Attend our program a minimum of 3 days per week
- Align with DBG’s mission and cultural statements