Watching the green sedan slowly rise as if by superhuman strength, the small group of boys listened as John showed them how to safely use a car jack to change a flat tire. "Next, you remove the hubcap."
He popped off the hubcap, revealing the tire's bolts underneath. As John continued, he entrusted a wrench to one of the boys, helping him remove them one by one. One day, these young boys may find themselves on the side of a road, needing to change a flat tire. And because of John, they'll know how. As the lesson finishes, John and the boys talk about school and life as their moms spend time inside with their mentors at Empower, a program committed to come alongside single moms to make positive changes in their lives.
MVLF partners with Empower in Miamisburg to build its capacity by providing training, resources, and mentors. Partnering with and building the capacity of programs like Empower is one of the three central commitments of MVLF's pursuit of change in the city.
Not long after Empower began, its leaders realized they could achieve a deeper level of impact by providing mentoring to both moms and their children. MVLF has helped Empower meet these mentoring needs, and now, as moms are being empowered, their children are poured into by incredible mentors like John.
Circled around a green sedan, the boys watch John lower the car now equipped with a new tire. Having this new life skill, these boys are not only equipped to change a tire; they're more equipped to change their stories. |