ABOUT

My name is Teddy Colbert, and The PoorTree Organization exists because I know firsthand what it means to grow up with potential but without direction, now I am a certified life coach.

I was raised in the inner city, surrounded by talent, resilience, and ambition but also by limited access to information, guidance, and opportunity. Like many young people from low-income communities, I was not lacking intelligence or drive; I was lacking knowledge of the resources, systems, and pathways that could lead to a better life. I made mistakes. I learned the hard way. And those lessons became the foundation of my purpose.

Today, I am a graduate student pursuing a Master’s in Public Administration and a senior enlisted member of the United States Air Force, where I have spent over a decade developing leaders, managing programs, and serving communities at home and abroad. My journey—from a misguided youth to a disciplined public servant—was shaped by mentors, structure, and access to opportunity. Too many young people never receive those same chances simply because no one shows them the way.

The PoorTree Organization was created to change that.

Our mission is simple but powerful: to create clear, accessible pathways for low-income teens and young adults to thrive. We do this through scholarships, internships, volunteering, community engagement, and one-on-one coaching—not as charity, but as investment. We believe that when young people are equipped with knowledge, exposure, and guidance, they can rewrite their own stories.

The name PoorTree reflects a truth I’ve lived: a tree does not fail because of its potential—it fails because of the soil it was planted in. Our work is about enriching that soil. We ensure young people understand the resources available to them, the decisions that matter, and the long-term impact of the choices they make today.

This organization is my commitment to making the path clearer, the climb shorter, and the future brighter for the next generation.

Because no young person should have to learn life the hard way just because no one taught them better.