10 Things Creflo Dollar Could Do with the $65 Million Instead of Buy a Jet

With the news that televangelist Creflo Dollar of World Changers International Church, just outside of Atlanta, has asked 200,000 people to donate $300 each so he can purchase a lavish $65 million private jet, we came up with alternative uses for the cash that could improve the lives of Black people in profound ways. Help HBCUs With declining enrollments, cuts in financial aid and a change by the Obama administration in how many semesters students can access Pell Grants, Creflo’s dollars could go far in helping a few HBCUs continue to provide targeted attention to the needs of Black students. Create A Black Tech Start-up Fund A pool of money that could be accessed by bright Black tech entrepreneurs with an abundance of ideas but limited capital would have the multiplier effect of ultimately providing an abundance of jobs in the Black community. Help Black Families Get Back on Their Feet Longterm unemployment is a major problem in the Black community, where employment discrimination, in addition to the effects of issues like America’s explosive use of mass incarceration, have rendered many Black mothers and fathers unable to find quality jobs that can sustain a family. A fund to assist struggling families would have a huge impact. Fund More Black Teachers Fund a program to get more bright young Black children to go into teaching, as studies show that Black kids do better when taught by a teacher who looks like them—while colleges and teacher education programs are experiencing a dearth of Black candidates. Adopt a Needy School System Financially devastated school systems like Chicago, Philadelphia and DeKalb County, Georgia—right in Creflo’s backyard—would see an enormous benefit from an influx of funds that could save jobs and buy desperately needed supplies. Support Black Lives Matter campaign As a new generation takes up the mantle of struggle, pushing for America and the world to respect Black Lives and Black Bodies, providing them with financial support for transportation, housing and legal services is the right thing to do. Helping Black People Transition After Prison Helping rehabilitate members of our communities in the difficult transition from prison back to life in mainstream society would be a huge boost to Black communities and Black families. Create and Fund A National Black STEM Youth Program Black communities would find tremendous long-term benefit from a national program dedicated to getting every Black child from 8 to 18 exposed and ready for a potential college career in a STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) field, where there is still a huge need for more Black talent—and significant opportunity for ambitious young Black students. Create More Community Recreation Programs Adopt a few Black communities in Georgia and other states and build an infrastructure of afterschool centers for educational enrichment and much-needed recreation. Food Banks for the Homeless or Hungry In a world with an abundance of food, too many people go to bed hungry, particularly children. Create more food banks that can feed the hungry.

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