Pleasantville Youth Initiative was formed in 2017, their focus is to make life better for teenagers in the Pleasantville Community.

The group has some big and ambitious plans according to co-founders of the organization, Emily Caulkins and Jennie Koenig. The non-profit group is currently in a fundraising effort to bring in $1.5 million. The group will be tearing down the old Pleasantville downtown grocery store and building on the same site. Money has already been raised for tearing down the old grocery store.

Koenig tells KNIA/KRLS News, “We do a lot in the Pleasantville community. We primarily do events for middle school and high schoolers. We also serve our community as a whole. So we usually do 11 to 12 large group youth events every year. We participate in the parades and partner with the girl scouts and we do a lot of outreach as well. So we partner with the Knoxville Youth Food Initiative to each summer distribute meals to the Pleasantville community.”

During the summer meals are distributed three times a week.

The fundraising goal is to have the money raised by June of 2024. The group looks to raise funds through grants, donors and organizations.

Call Emily Caulkins at 515-710-7609. Mail PO Box 295, Pleasantville 50225. The website is pvilleyi.org