Our Mission

We are the charitable arm of AGB Investigative Services, Inc., a full service security company. AGB stands for Always Giving Back. Our business has created hundreds of professional opportunities for adults, particularly in underserved areas of Chicago. The AGB Foundation serves high school students and young adults.  It is dedicated to PREPARING the next generation of our workforce by:

  • INSPIRING minority youth—we give young people real-world experience of what it’s like to own a company so they can envision being an employer or an executive in a board room one day
  • RECRUITING young leaders—we provide summer internships and targeted workshops to expose young people to the world of entrepreneurship & business management
  • REWARDING motivated students—our college scholarships remove barriers that interfere with educational access
  • ASSISTING families in need—we adopt deserving families and provide them with gifts and food to sustain them through an employment or school hardship or a volatile time in their life

Our Story

The AGB Foundation was established by Dr. Denitra Griffin and her husband John Griffin, Jr. Denitra is a veteran educator and school administrator who holds a doctorate in Educational Leadership from DePaul University. John is a security expert and the founder of AGB Investigative Services Inc., one of Inner City 100’s fastest growing businesses nationwide in 2015. Together, they have more than 35 years of combined experience in business and education. Both John and Denitra are passionate about service and giving back to their communities. They initiated the AGB Foundation College Scholarships and Summer Business Internship in 2012. The AGB Community Appreciation and Family Love programs were added in 2015.

View the Dr. Griffin story

Our Story

The AGB Foundation was established by Denitra Griffin and her husband John Griffin, Jr. Denitra is a veteran educator and school administrator who holds a doctorate in Educational Leadership from DePaul University. John is a security expert and the founder of AGB Investigative Services Inc., one of Inner City 100’s fastest growing businesses nationwide in 2015. Together, they have more than 35 years of combined experience in business and education. Both John and Denitra are passionate about service and giving back to their communities. They initiated the AGB Foundation College Scholarships and Summer Business Internship in 2012. The AGB Community Appreciation and Family Love programs were added in 2015.

View the Dr. Griffin story

Board Members


Denitra d. Griffin
CEO
Always Giving Back Foundation

John Griffin, Jr
CEO
AGB Investigative Services

Les Goldstein
Chief Investment Officer
Personal Financial Strategies

Kenya Pettigrew
Senior VP Corporate & Institutional Services
Northern Trust-Chicago

Najia Griffin
College Student

Marguerite Butler
(not shown)

The Need We See

Young people of color in Chicago need our help. They’re failing, in record numbers, at getting jobs and continue to face challenges with staying in school. The numbers paint a disturbing picture:

employment-chart-1

employment-chart-2
Source: Great Cities Institute, University of Illinois at Chicago, 2016

“The crisis of joblessness for young people of color is chronic and concentrated. The conditions in Chicago are among the worst, and evident when compared to the U.S., Illinois, New York, and Los Angeles.”

—UIC Great Cities Institute report, January 2016

The violence and poverty plaguing our inner-city neighborhoods has a solution. We believe that it lies in the hearts and minds of young people, and that’s where we want to leave a mark.

“AGB has inspired my entrepreneurial spirit and has shown me that anything is possible with hard work and dedication.”  —Alillia Clements, 2016 Summer Business Intern

“I have a newfound appreciation of black excellence and strength. Most importantly, I am so blessed and grateful to be a part of a family and business as professional and loving as AGB.” —Lameka Hayes, 2016 Summer Business Intern

The AGB Foundation is dedicated to offering young people inspiration and information to help them get good jobs—and a better life.

275+

Youth served

7200+

Hours of internship and coaching provided

$45,500

Scholarships awarded

100% of our interns and scholarship recipients feels prepared to search for employment and internships after completing our program

Support Us!

We are blasting barriers to educational access and professional opportunities for young Chicagoans in underserved areas. Volunteer, donate, or partner with the AGB Foundation to support our life-changing programs.

Get started today!