CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Boys to Men Foundation started off with just two boys.
“At one of the CMS schools, one of the bus drivers said 'Mr. Fowler, you connect well with the boys, and I think we could do some mentoring,'" The Boys to Men Foundation president Timothy Fowler said.
Now, more than a decade later, the nonprofit's president, who teaches pre-k at Highland Renaissance Academy, has helped more than 1,000 boys.
“The age range is 9 to 17," Fowler said.
The Boys to Men Foundation meets weekly.
Its foundation is built on community service, but it aims to build character, life skills and anger management through mentoring.
“Some of the boys grew up in different shelters and different environments, so it's really how do you cope with being angry and how do you cope with that sense of abandonment, so we talk about that, and we talk about respect," Fowler said.
The Charlotte nonprofit's workforce program has been in the works for six years.
Fowler said a summer partnership with Hendrick Automotive allows them to shadow employees to see what it's like to be in a job setting.
“Marketing, sales, service, parts," Fowler said.
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Jimmy Bryant, a senior at Myers Park High School, started the program at 9 years old.
He said learning the ins and outs at Hendricks has been the highlight of the program for him.
“We got to meet the general managers at each store where we just go up under their wing and learn how to run a dealership," Boys To Men mentee Jimmy Bryant said.
The internship hours Jimmy clocked in over the years, with the help of the nonprofit, have now earned him a position in the parts department.
Bryant said he hopes it's just the beginning.
“They did explain to us how plenty of people can get promotions, you just have to show the effort and hard work and that will get you where you want to be," Bryant said.
It’s a transition Fowler said he hopes to repeat as he works to turn more boys into men the future can rely on.
If you’d like to support the Boys to Men Foundation, you can do so by taking part in its Just 60 fundraiser. For just 60 cents a day or $18 a month, you could help support the nonprofit's trips, food and different supplies the boys need.
Contact Ruby Durham at rdurham@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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