About the Executive Director: Alphonso Bailey is the founder and Executive Director of Down But Not Out, Inc. He had everything going for him; a good family and a football scholarship to Kentucky State University. A series of poor choices landed him in prison and took away all of his freedoms, hopes and dreams!
Determined to turn his life around, Alphonso focused on his faith and through determination, self-discipline and the right attitude he experienced a new freedom! The sport of boxing coupled with his intense desire to grow emotionally and spiritually freed him from a life of crime and despair. Alphonso, with the help of the Lord, came to understand true freedom. Now he’s sharing and teaching that same sense of freedom to others!
On Tuesday, July 14, 2015, Down But Not Out was presented the 2015 Black Expo Governor's Award for Achievement in Civic Leadership and Religion. Watch the video.
DBNO Atlanta:
Our new operations in the Atlanta, GA, area will be led by Delvin Bailey, a minister and nephew of Down But Not Out founder and executive director Alphonso Bailey.
Here is his story:
Delvin Bailey is leading Down But Not Out’s new outreach in the Atlanta, Georgia, area. Delvin Bailey was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, and raised by his mother, his father having died during Delvin’s childhood. His uncle Alphonso Bailey, founder and executive director of Down But Not Out, introduced him to football. Delvin became a talented player, playing college football with the possibility to play professionally. In college, however, he started experimenting with drugs and his grades and athletics suffered. He left college and returned home. A year later, he joined the Navy and started out doing well, but eventually started getting high again. After a drug test came back positive, he had to appear before the Captain. The Captain gave him a second chance, but about six months later Delvin tested positive again and was discharged from the Navy. He was very discouraged but would later discover that God had his hands on him the entire time. He returned home looking for direction. He eventually started going to church with his mother. In 1991, he accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior. In 1994 God called him into ministry. He presently serves in the ministry at Bethesda Apostolic Church in Atlanta, GA.
