Reported by: Janna Clark Email: jclark@fox23.com

Updated: 5/11 8:21 am

Published: 5/10 9:23 pm

It’s called A Pocket Full of Hope. Now the program to help Tulsa youth is in money trouble.

As FOX23′s Janna Clark shows us, the man who started it is using his musical talent to keep it going.

The sign out front points the way to A Pocket Full of Hope. It’s not just a building or an organization. It’s a place the kids call Hopeville, a place where kids have a real chance for hope.

It’s Marquita Randle’s story. How she came as a fourth grader to the place she’s calls Hopeville.

Marquita’s different because of this place.

“It’s built a lot of my character and my confidence,” Marquita said.

She’s just one story.

“I’ve seen the end of the story. I’ve seen the successes that it’s done,” said Dr. Lester Shaw who started the program.

Several thousand kids have stories that started here, some as far back as 11 years.  That’s how long Pocket Full of Hope has been helping kids.

“When you look at young people, I wanted to create pockets of hope instead of pockets of despair,” Lester said.

He uses dance, theater and music to reel in the kids.

“Once you real them, in you reach them… They may forget what you tell them, or what you did, but they remember how you made them feel,” Lester said.

“He gives a lot of advice. He’s like a second dad,” Marquita said.

Lester says every student who comes through here graduates from high school. And 95 percent go to college. And every one who goes to college graduates.

Things were going so well. Then a year ago, without any warning, A Pocket Full of Hope lost its state funding – all of it.

“I live in this state, they could’ve at least given us five dollars!” Lester said, excitedly.

Since then, Lester’s been trying to figure out how to come up with the money.

“I’m not gonna sit around and maybe a tub of money will fly in from Mars,” he said.

So this record-labeled musician went to work. And he’s putting out a new CD called, “Doc Shaw, My Life.”

All the money goes straight to Hopeville.

“He loves us,” Marquita said.

“How can I let kids suffer and do nothing?” Lester said. “It has to happen.”

Lester knows that Marquita’s story will be a good one.

“If we don’t reach these kids, that’s another story,” Lester said.

He doesn’t want to change the ending.

The CD – “Doc Shaw, My Life” – will be out May 17. You can buy the music on ITunes or find it on our website.www.fox23.com

You can also go to www.pocketfullofhope.com

or www.docshawmusic.com