ST. LOUIS — This summer, young people are working to improve their north St. Louis neighborhood by signing up to work for Dream Builders 4 Equity. To them, it’s more than a job. It’s changing their community and other young lives.
Brandy Williams Jr. and his buddies are rehabbing homes, earning a paycheck, and, most importantly, building relationships.
“It’s just such a welcoming environment,” said Williams. “They give out countless opportunities and countless learning experiences.”
Williams is just one of the young people transforming the Hyde Park neighborhood with Dream Builders 4 Equity this summer. The program buys properties and turns them for a profit.
“They want to be doing something that is impacting the world and they also want to be making money,” said Dream Builders 4 Equity CEO Michael Woods. “So, we are paying our youth between $12 and $20 an hour as they are working with us, but they also get an equity stake in these houses. So, every time we sell a house, a portion of those sales go directly to our students.”
Contractors like Tony Nelson teach students the skills they need to get the jobs done. But the lessons go beyond installing insulation.
“I think one advantage in life is just being part of something,” said Nelson. “And that's the biggest part. If you wake up every day with a purpose and you're part of something, you have responsibility. You have a direction when you do that. So, it's definitely going to translate into life.”
Since 2016, the program has helped nearly 100 area youth.
“We have plenty of students that want to do nothing at all with construction or real estate,” said Construction Project Manager Jessica Gaines. “You know, they go on to be barbers, mechanics. They go on to do dentistry. They do all types of things. But it’s knowing that they have a support system.”
For Williams, it’s not about construction. It’s about camaraderie.
“I feel like they haven't given up on those giving up on the youth. So, I feel like they're giving the youth another opportunity to create a better future, not just for ourselves, but for our family as well,” said Williams. “It’s just such a great vibe to come here and join Dream Builders.”
Woods likens the culture to a family atmosphere.
“So, they show up to work, but they’re more so happy to be with each other. And then they’re also happy to be creating some change in north St. Louis City,” said Woods.
Dream Builders 4 Equity awarded $10,000 grant
5 On Your Side’s Project 5 is committed to standing up for St. Louis by advocating and supporting our community. This year, 5 On Your Side received $40,000 in grant money courtesy of the TEGNA Foundation, the charitable foundation sponsored by TEGNA Inc.
The grant money will be distributed to St. Louis-area non-profits in two rounds. Dream Builders 4 Equity is one of two organizations to receive a $10,000 grant in the first round, which was announced in late May. The other organization to receive a grant is CHADS Coalition for Mental Health.
Dream Builders was awarded the grant to fund the building of a playground in the Hyde Park neighborhood, an area in north city where there’s a need for safe spaces for children to play.
“I’ve seen so much come out of people just taking the time to invest in those youth minds and acknowledge them as people who will be difference-makers in the world at 16, 17, 18-years-old,” said Dream Builders 4 Equity Alumni and Youth Director Gerald Burton, Jr. “Putting that battery in their backs to make sure they know they are the ones who are going to drive St. Louis to be a better place.”
Burton was on hand to receive the grant, along with CEO Michael Woods, Construction Project Manager Jessica Gaines, and Director of Operations Nikki Joseph.
The second round of grant funding is expected to be announced in September.