Neighbors from every corner of Huntsville share a catered Thanksgiving meal, give thanks, and celebrate community. Everyone is welcome, and vegan options are available.
Village of Promise is a Family Advancement Center that supports children and families through education and opportunities across generations. Learn about our programs.
A village of families, educators, volunteers, and supporters working toward a future beyond poverty.
Bobby Bradley, Co-Founder
Since 2011
When a vision meets a village.
Bobby Bradley and her lifelong friend Gloria Batts founded Village of Promise in 2011. They drew inspiration from Lincoln Village Ministry and the Harlem Children’s Zone, a national model for addressing generational poverty.
Their idea was to support children and their families together within a defined neighborhood. Research into poverty and education led them back to the Northwest Huntsville community where they had grown up.
A foundation built on community.
Bobby remembers a neighborhood where families owned homes, worked hard, and looked out for one another. Education mattered. Children were encouraged to take their studies seriously, attend college, and pursue the careers they chose.
In the 1950s, Salvatorian Catholic missionaries from Wisconsin established St. Joseph’s Mission School for African-American children. That school is known today as Holy Family School. The missionaries invited neighborhood families to send their children, and parents made sacrifices to give them that opportunity.
Academic learning, discipline, respect, and spiritual well-being gave Bobby and Gloria a foundation for success. They later brought their experience in business and social work back to the neighborhood to help create new opportunities for the families living there.
Promise grows through people.
Village of Promise’s work has impacted more than 300 families. In 2023, Village of Promise was named Nonprofit of the Year at the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber’s 38th Annual Small Business Awards.
Help the next chapter begin.
Your support helps children and families move forward together.
Education and support across generations. One child, one family, and one neighborhood at a time.
About Village of Promise
Village of Promise is a Family Advancement Center founded in 2011 by Bobby Bradley and Gloria Batts to address the needs of children and families in under-resourced Northwest Huntsville neighborhoods.
Our mission
Village of Promise empowers children and their families to break the cycle of poverty through education and multi-generational support, helping them succeed in school, work, and life.
Our vision
Our vision is to build a community where poverty no longer defines the future, transforming lives one child, one family, and one neighborhood at a time.
Our values
Collaboration
We build authentic relationships with our team and community partners to increase our collective impact.
Excellence
We continually raise our standards to reflect the care and urgency our mission deserves.
Dignity
We honor each person’s unique value and create programs that uplift and respect families.
Humility
We stay open to every person’s story, strength, and perspective as we learn together.
Commitment
We take responsibility for our mission, our actions, and one another.
Integrity
We build relationships with honesty, transparency, respect, and accountability.
2022–23 Annual Report
Explore the work, people, and partnerships behind our mission.
Early learning and school readiness for our youngest children.
Precious Promises
Precious Promises provides childcare for children ages six weeks through four years at little or no cost to qualified families.
Pre-K 4
Alabama’s voluntary First Class Pre-K program provides high-quality early childhood experiences for four-year-olds, preparing them for school success and lifelong learning. The program is administered by the Alabama Department of Early Childhood Education.
Getting ready to enroll
Connect with our team for current enrollment dates, availability, and age requirements.
Families provide a child’s birth certificate and proof of residence.
Village of Promise Pre-K serves the Northwoods community and surrounding zoned areas.
Pre-K children must be fully potty-trained.
There is no registration fee for First Class Pre-K.
An immunization record is required upon enrollment.
Admission is through a random selection drawing; attendance at the drawing is not required.
No child is denied participation on the basis of income, sex, race, color, national origin, or disability.
Take the next step.
Ask our Family Advancement team about current openings and how to apply.
Promise Institute helps adults of any age work toward family and educational goals.
01
Infant University
An eight-class course for parents and expectant parents of children ages zero to four. Topics include infant, child, and maternal health care, immunizations, safety, and health hazards.
02
Family Connections
A family literacy program that strengthens the family across generations through Parent Time Workshops, Parent and Child Time Together (PACT), family mentoring, and family service learning.
03
Next Steps
Instruction and coursework for adults preparing for the GED exam, along with English as a Second Language, adult literacy, and workforce development.
A next step for your family.
Learning can open new possibilities at any stage of life. Connect with Family Advancement to learn more about Promise Institute programs and how to participate.
Reading, creativity, discovery, and confidence for rising first through third graders.
A summer built for growth.
S.L.A.M. Academy is a six-week summer enrichment program designed to serve 50 rising first through third graders. It combines foundational literacy instruction with hands-on STEAM learning.
Breakfast, lunch, and a daily snack are provided to help scholars arrive ready to learn.
Afternoon enrichment connects science, technology, engineering, arts, and math to real-world experiences.
Problem-solving and innovation
Applying math skills
Creative arts
Collaborative projects
STEM challenges and design
Rooted in the mission.
S.L.A.M. is an initiative of Village of Promise. Investing early in literacy, enrichment, and opportunity helps scholars become strong readers and enter the school year with confidence.
Community leaders working together in support of children and families.
2025–26 Board of Directors
Back row: Albert Mwangi, Randy Cash, Bob Ludwig, Frances Huffman, Jaymes Mooney (Village of Promise CEO), Dr. Russ Alexander, Lewis Price.
Front row: Peggy Sammon, Dr. Ina Wilson Smith, Brenda Conville, Angie Helms, Beth Sippel, Bobby Bradley (Village of Promise Co-Founder), Jane Daniel (Board Chair).
Not pictured: Lynne Berry, Sarah Green, Brittany Toth.
Bobby Bradley
Co-Founder · Genesis II
Brenda Conville
Secretary · Freedom Real Estate and Capital
Randy Cash
Axient Corporation
Frances Huffman
Community Volunteer
Beth Sippel
Synovus Bank
Jane Daniel
Chair · Community Volunteer
Dr. Russ Alexander
Spectrum Analytical
Sarah Green
Denton Sirote
Albert Mwangi
Toyota Motor Manufacturing, AL
Dr. Ina Wilson Smith
Huntsville City Schools
Lewis Price
Treasurer · Pearce Construction
Lynne Berry
Huntsville Hospital Foundation
Angie Helms
Canvas, Inc.
Peggy Sammon
GeneCapture, Inc.
Advisory Council 2024–25
Paula Steigerwald, Chair Retired Non-Profit Executive
National thought leaders share insight with the Huntsville community on addressing generational poverty and creating opportunity for future generations.
National thought leaders. Community conversations. Possibility for generations to come.
Conversations that move us forward.
Speaker Series brings national thought leaders to Huntsville to share innovative ways to address generational poverty and overcome challenges for future generations.
Our 2026 event featured Dr. Tasha Austin-Williams.
Join a team helping children and families build a future full of promise.
Help change lives, one family at a time.
Village of Promise is a team of people working to strengthen families and communities. Whether you are starting your career or bringing years of experience, explore ways to bring your talents to our mission.
Volunteer shifts open
