#GiveTLH 2021: Born 2 Be a Man helps bring the village to young men
The first skill that Russell Harrison believes makes a man is accountability.
“Even when you do wrong, be accountable and try to fix it. Then, never be afraid to keep learning. We all learn new things as we grow that help us to be a better man,” he says.
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Harrison speaks from his role as a father, a high school coach, a mentor, and the founder of Born 2 Be a Man, an organization that offers mentoring programs for boys aged 4 to 19 throughout Quincy, Tallahassee and the surrounding area.
Born 2 Be a Man is one of nine local nonprofits being recognized with a $1,000 grant for their work by the Beatitude Foundation and #GiveTLH, a community effort underwritten by philanthropist and businessman Rick Kearney. Over the coming weeks, each organization’s story will be shared in the Democrat, along with information about how you can help.
Harrison, known as “Pops,” to many of the young men he coached in Gadsden County, saw a need for a strong, positive male role model in their lives.
“As a father myself, I’ve had to relearn things and change what I thought being a man or a father was. With each of my kids I have changed and become what my kids needed in life,” Harrison shares. Having lost his own father to a heart attack when he was 9 years old, Harrison knew the pain of being without a father figure. He put up a flyer and welcomed 10 boys and their mothers for an organizational meeting.
Born 2 Be a Man now meets in Tallahassee on Saturdays and in Quincy on Sundays. “We have weekly meetings with speakers from different walks of life, go on field trips, and expose them to potential career paths in trades.” Speakers range from auto mechanics to plumbers to electricians. “We teach the kids how to change oil and change tires, just help them learn how to take care of things themselves and develop pride in themselves.”
Harrison and other volunteers have taken their proteges to a professional basketball game in New Orleans and to visit museums in Montgomery, Alabama. An outdoor adventure is planned in the mountains, where they can learn outdoor skills, go hiking, and have new experiences. “Our kids are just looking for someone to love them and trust in them,” he says. “We can change the narrative of this story.”
Born 2 Be a Man is a volunteer-driven organization that relies on a small participation fee and donations. “I have to give credit to my wife Clarissa,” Harrison chuckles. “She is my backbone. I could not do any of it without her support and hard work.”
He also has the assistance of his adult sons and other volunteers, but more is needed.
“We need speakers, mentors, and people who are willing to share their time for the benefit of these young men.” Russell Harrison can be reached at born2beaman@gmail.com or through the Born 2 Be a Man Facebook page or website, born2beaman.com.
Parents are thankful for Harrison’s leadership.
One parent shares, “Coach Harrison came into our lives six months ago and he’s been amazing since day one. He took my son right in without hesitation. He’s been patient with him, he’s caring, very attentive, he gives one on one quality time, and he asks about his behavior at home as well as school. My son is improving bit by bit and I’m excited to continue this journey with Born 2 Be A Man.”
“I want parents to know that I see their child, I will do my best to straighten them out, and I refuse to let them fall,” Harrison says with the conviction of a coach and the warmth of a parent. “Sometimes I feel discouraged, but then I get a text from someone telling me about how their child is doing, and I am glad that God laid this on my heart.”
The #GiveTLH series will culminate in November with a chance for Tallahassee readers to vote for their favorite profiled nonprofit. In addition to a micro-grant for each featured organization, the top three vote-getting organizations will receive a $10,000, $5,000 and $2,500 grant from the Beatitude Foundation. The stories will be compiled on give.tallahassee.com.
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About #GiveTLH
#GiveTLH, underwritten by the Beatitude Foundation and Rick Kearney, is a look at nine nonprofits in our community and how you can help them in their life-changing work. At the conclusion of this series, Kearney will award grants to the nonprofit that gets the most votes in an online poll. For more profiles, visit give.tallahassee.com.