RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — 8News is once again a proud sponsor of the 2015 History Makers Awards. Each year The Valentine recognizes people and organizations helping to shape our region, like F.I.R.S.T. Contractors. It was one of the winners in 2006.
Inside the F.I.R.S.T. Contractors workshop in Richmond’s North Side, young adults transferring out of the foster care and juvenile justice systems are learning skills to help them move forward.
“A lot of work that I thought was hard before I came here is not that hard once I got here, learned a lot of stuff that’s a lot more easy,” says DeAndre Brown, one of the participants.
Larry Lindsey started F.I.R.S.T. Contractors in 1998. He had been working as a psychologist in a juvenile correctional facility and realized programs in place were not working. The recidivism rate was high because many of the teens did not know how to get a keep a job.
F.I.R.S.T. Contractors does not focus on a specific trade but uses construction projects to make this participants more employable, plus prevent homelessness and incarceration.
“Every day they can see success,” Lindsey says about the picnic tables the group is currently building. “Construction allows for that tangible success on a daily basis.”
Participant Ameer Crockett chimes in.
“It’s not just for working. We actually talk sometimes. We sit down on Fridays, we sit down and talk how we wage our money, what we plan on doing with our money when we get paid,” he said.
They learn aspects of business from the picnic table project. By taking orders and filling them, they also building relationships with the counties, cities and individuals who chose to invest in them.
“When you give it to the owners who have purchased the table that makes it better,” says participant Kamel Scott. “Seeing them smile, how nice and clean it is, it makes you feel better, makes me feel better.”
F.I.R.S.T. Contractors hopes to keep up the momentum with the picnic table project to continue creating jobs and getting the young people on the right path so they can be History Makers too.
The 2015 History Makers celebration is taking place on October 20 at The Valentine. Tickets go on sale in September. Stay with 8News for continuing coverage leading up to the ceremony.
