Men Investing In Future Men
Most can recognize the Chick-fil-A cows due to the many commercials and even billboards. In recent months Chick-fil-A has added another genre of advertisements to their playlist retelling stories that reflect their culture of service.
One of these 30-second stories is a young man, 10-12 years old, who needs to wear a necktie to a school function. The story goes on to say he asked his grandmother to help, the problem, she didn't know-how. The grandmother and grandson were on their way to Chick-fil-A. Once in the store, they asked one of the team members for help. Of course, he said, "Sure, I'll help." He not only helped but taught the young man to the skill so he could do it for himself.
The story is very moving; in fact, all of them are. What is displayed in this story is something we can often take for granted, an adult figure in a child's life who teaches essential life skills.
But what happens if you didn't have those connections. That is a reality for many children in the foster care system.
Back in 2018, our president, James Wessel, and his wife were attending a class designed to give insight into our state's Foster Parent program. While there, he had a brief conversation with the director of a Foster Care transitional home. A place where young men, of the same age group reflected in the Chick-fil-A video, live and learn, preparing them to be placed in a Foster Home or transition to a home of their own.
The transition home location is near our campus on Brindlee Mountain.
A few days later, James asked our team to reach out to the director or the facility to see if there was anything we could do to invest in the residents. The director said: "They need someone to teach them basic life skills."
That's all it took to birth the idea of bringing the young men to our campus on a regular schedule and allow members of our team to serve through teaching these essential life skills. We reached out to a few of our team, Gabe, Jonathon, Connor, Sam, Chris, and others, who willingly said, 'yes.'
The list of topics they were to cover included
How to tie a tie
How do I need to act during a job interview
How do I introduce myself when meeting people," the importance of a handshake and eye contact."
The basics of financial planning, making a budget, saving and staying out of debt
How to change a car tire
How to change the oil in a car
Setting personal goals and making progress in attaining them
Since the fall of 2018, a rotating group of young men has visited our campus. It is an interruption to the typical day, but it is an investment in the future. Their visits are a blessing to our team, and we are thrilled to see many of them graduate the program ready to Foster Home placement or even set up a home-place. When they graduate, completing the curriculum, we readily provide them with a new shirt and tie along with an Auto Emergency kit.
After waiting for and then receiving your food order at Chick-fil-A, you probably say "thank you," which is quickly followed by the employee with a hearty "my pleasure."
Brindlee has heard' thank you' many times from the leaders and young men of the transition home, after which we quickly and honestly say 'my pleasure.' We are here to serve, firefighters, fire departments, and even young men who will someday need to tie a tie.