RICHMOND, Va. -- The Broken Men Foundation is an all-male volunteer mentoring program targeting young African American men in the Richmond area and Emporia.
In early 2020, CBS6 gifted the foundation with a CBS 6 Gives after that COVID-19 hit and changes had to be made to the program.
“We actually had to go into a zoom process with everything that we had, at the foundation that was definitely new to us," said Ellery Lundy, the founder and president of the Broken Men Foundation.
The program continued with a group of about 20 mentors in mental health, law enforcement, pastors and entrepreneurs.
The foundation resumed in-person gathering and graduated spring and fall classes in 2021.
"What we do with the kids, we do life coping skills, vehicles maintenance, law enforcement interaction, tying ties, visiting historic sites and different things like that. Make sure that we make sure these young men, eventually as life goes on, be better husbands, better fathers and different things like that," Lundy said.
The 16-week program gets young men ready academically for college and the job market with a trade.
"The trade would be HVAC, electric, plumbing, culinary, there so many things landscaping different things like that, so they can be able to afford and have a broader outlook on life to try to be successful and take care of their families," Lundy said.
Registration is now open for those ages 10 through 18 for both programs. There is a $50 donation for supplies and a planned fishing trip in the summer.
For more information, visit the organization's website.
