OUR MISSION
We Help Deserving But Underserved Youth Develop The Social & Emotional Qualities Needed To be Successful
Through the use of technology, education, enriching experiences and wellness activities we help build a basis for positive youth development, including self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills and responsible decision-making.
We Are Headquartered In Indianapolis
You may know our founder as former Indianapolis Colts cornerback and Super Bowl champion Marlin Jackson. We primarily have served youth in Indiana, but our goal is to expand across the Midwest (and beyond) by 2026. We are an independent 501(c)3 organization that delivers services to more than 18,000 students across 15+ locations.
Our Core Values
By embodying the below values, we tackle systemic issues in education and family support, striving to create sustainable solutions that foster empowerment and resilience.
Humility
We must always remain humble in the face of success and adversity. We must stay balanced in order to remain focused on our goal of directing children’s lives down the right path.
Creativity
We must strive to be creative in our thoughts and approach towards creating ways to help those less fortunate.
Perspective
We must always be able to step outside of ourselves and look inside in order to see how others may view the world around us. We need to always remain open to understand and consider the view of others.
Passion
We must feel with our hearts and souls the passion that lies within us to help those less fortunate. We must be able to absorb and understand the circumstances that exist for those we are trying to help.
Meet Our Board And Staff
Fight For Life Foundation was founded in 2007 by former Indianapolis Colts cornerback and Super Bowl champion, Marlin Jackson. Marlin’s personal experiences inform our mission to uplift marginalized communities through student-centered, trauma-informed approaches.
Our Board and Legal Compliance
Our Staff
Our History
Fight for Life Foundation was founded in 2007 by former Indianapolis Colts cornerback Marlin Jackson.
Fight for Life Foundation began as a learning curriculum and lessons developed for football camps. It has since evolved into a not for profit organization with a mission of helping deserving but underserved youth develop the social and emotional qualities needed to be successful.
In 2018, FFL created Building Dreams technology, a comprehensive social-emotional learning (SEL) program that equips administrators with the data they need to support their teachers and students with resources to improve classroom management and student behavior issues.
2007
The Indianapolis Colts win Super Bowl XLI. Marlin Jackson begins Fight For Life Foundation.
2008
Behavior management technique is developed for schools and youth development programs. Be A Blessing field trip is provided for Marlin’s elementary school.
2009
Social-emotional learning curriculum lessons are developed for football camps.
2010
Be A Blessing weekend field trip in Indianapolis is provided to students from Sharon, Penn.
2011
Marlin leaves the National Football League (NFL).
2012
Building Dreams workbook is developed to teach social-emotional learning skills. The Board of Directors is established.
2013
Be A Blessing Toy Drives begin during the holidays.
2015
Works with students from IUPUI’s School of Public and Environmental Affairs on program delivery feedback.
2016
Partners with Salesforce’s Coding4Kindness for the software concept ideation process.
2017
Fight for Life Foundation becomes independent 501(c)3.
2018
Begins and ends technology ideation work with Fretless.
2019
Be A Blessing field trip to Marian University for Building Dreams workbook schools. Work begins with Counterpart on technology development and Building Dreams Software as a Service is launched in schools.
2020
COVID-19 pandemic begins.
2021
Fight for Life Foundation is a finalist for TechPoint’s “Innovation of the Year” MIRA Award.
2022
Be A Blessing monthly, all-inclusive field trips begin for 6 Building Dreams schools. The service delivery Proven Process is developed and a Director of Program Management is hired full-time.
2023
Inaugural Building Dreams Champions Breakfast is held. Fight for Life Foundation is a finalist for TechPoint’s “Education Impact” MIRA Award.
2024
Implementation Specialist is hired full-time. Fight for Life Foundation is awarded by Indiana’s Department of Child Services (DCS) for “Prevention Provider of the Year”
Awards And Recognition
Click on a year below to view the awards and recognition from that time period.
- Indiana Department of Child Services Prevention Service Provider of the Year Award
- RISE TOGETHER Community Leader for Excellence in Education Award
- TechPoint Mira Awards Best of Tech Education Impact Award Nominee
- Midwest Decision Science Institute Conference Best Research Paper Award – International
- CLD Public & Community Service Minority Achiever Award Winner
- TechPoint Mira Awards Best of Tech Innovation Of The Year Nominee
- Midwest Decision Science Institute Conference Best Research Paper Award – USA
- Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield Community Health Champion
- Indy’s Best and Brightest Education and Nonprofit Winner
- Indy’s Best and Brightest Finalist
- Phalen Leadership Academies’ Indiana Heroes Award Winner
- JB Award Winner (NFL)
- Ed Block Courage Award Winner
Our Operations Partners
The Fight for Life Foundation is a social services non-profit agency that fuels its mission through the organization’s business structure. Our business is software as a service (SaaS) that engages users to make behavioral health connections that influence student, school, and societal outcomes. The technology is focused on culture and climate management for the purpose of identifying needs and deploying social services through the Be A Blessing program to impact our technologies students, educators, and parent users. It is through this innovative business approach that Fight for Life fills gaps for people and schools who are in need and using Building Dreams software. Here are a few business operations partners that help Fight for Life operate efficiently.
