BATON ROUGE — The Baton Rouge Youth Coalition was awarded $2 million by billionaire MacKenzie Scott’s charity.

Mackenzie Scott’s Yield Giving was originally supposed to give 250 non-profit organizations $1 million. However, the Baton Rouge Youth Coalition was awarded double that amount.

Lucas Spielfogel, executive director of BRYC, said this is game-changing.

“When students who are underserved have access to equally high-quality resources, they can be equally or more successful as their affluent peers,” Spielfogel said.

BRYC is a non-profit that helps hundreds of low-income students succeed in high school, earn college degrees and find jobs after graduation. With more than 6,000 applicants, Spielfogel is thrilled with the big news.

“Overall, I just felt so much gratitude, and so much I guess I felt affirmed because I think you believe that your organization is something, and for it to go through this rigorous process and for people on the national scale to affirm that it is in fact what you thought it is is just an incredible indescribable feeling,” Spielfogel said.

BRYC has also found support from the East Baton Rouge Parish school system. With their support and the $2 million donation, BRYC will be able to expand and double its members.

“Investments of this magnitude, they allow you to be bolder in your moves,” Spielfogel said.

BRYC alumna Kaydence Bradford says she wouldn’t be where she is today without the organization's support and guidance.

“Motivation, support, resources, they gave them all to me,” Bradford said. “Because of them, I was able to get over, I would like to say, over $500,000 worth of scholarships. I'm going to school basically for free."

Bradford is a freshman at Union College in New York and is currently on the Dean's List.

“Helping me through my essays, resumes, SAT score, interview prep, every single aspect of the college process that no one tells you about in the beginning. They helped me through every step, being a support system for me and my mom,” Bradford said.

BRYC has inspired so many students to do what they never thought was possible. Bradford said she couldn’t be more proud and excited of the next generation of BRYC members.

“I’m just happy this program is going to be available for more little boys and girls who have the dream of going places but don’t know how or don’t have the resources to get to where they are or where they want to be,” Bradford said. “I was extremely happy I screamed like yayaya!"

There is no academic requirement to become a member of BRYC. Applicants need to be in 8th grade through 12th grade next school year and be eligible for a Pell Grant.