4CAB Men's Mentorship helps community

Photo By Sgt. Jonathan Thibault | Soldiers from the 4th Combat Aviation Brigade Men’s Mentorship program help clean up the grounds of the Joel Home in Colorado Springs June 20, 2015. (Photo courtesy of 4th Combat Aviation Brigade Chaplain’s Office)  

COLORADO SPRINGS, CO, UNITED STATES

06.20.2015

Story by Sgt. Jonathan Thibault 

4th Combat Aviation Brigade, 4th Infantry Division Public Affairs

COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. - Senior leaders served as positive role models to inspire young men who are in the process of leaving the foster care system and are faced with the possibility of becoming homeless.

The mentors from the 4th Combat Aviation Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, volunteered to help clean up the grounds and mentor at the Joel Home in Colorado Springs June 20, 2015.

The Soldiers are part of the 4th CAB Men's Mentorship program which is designed for senior leaders in the organization to help develop and mentor young Soldiers, grooming them into the leaders of tomorrow. The organization get involved with the local community.

"The Joel Home is a residential, transitional living environment for 18-23 year olds that are aging out of the Colorado Springs Foster Care system and for those simply finding themselves with no support," said 1st Sgt. L.T. Whittley Jr., Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 4th CAB. "We were happy to help clean, beautify (the grounds) and mentor those young men at the Joel Home."

Chap. (Maj.) Luis Lopezcolon, brigade chaplain, 4th CAB, said volunteering helped clean up the Joel Home and improve the mental mindset of its residents.

"The CAB Men's Mentorship program helped mentor homeless young men, so that they can become more productive citizens," said Lopezcolon. "We are trying to establish a positive presence and give back to the community through outreach program. We achieved this by improving these men's self-worth and dignity. We wanted to coach, teach and mentor these men by providing them with positive role models."

The program helped the disenfranchised men find hope and meaning to their lives, said Lopezcolon.

"It also helps the mentors value their own mentorship process, and it teaches them the meaning of selfless service," he said.

The mentors wanted to demonstrate how much they care about the community, because they are giving their time and talent unselfishly, said Lopezcolon.

"I think the Joel Home staff (was) impacted by the love and commitment of the CAB Soldiers," he said. "The event helped foster great camaraderie with local church volunteers, and established expectations for future mentoring intervention with the men. This initiative helped establish stronger ties with the local community and helps the men gain life-changing coping skills."

Lopezcolon said this is not the end of his mentorship program's volunteering as he plans to expand his outreach to help mentor other local community programs.

"We will continue to develop strong and lasting ties with the local community through outreach projects and positive role modeling," said Lopezcolon. "The next project will be beautification of Mary's House, a local women's shelter."

• Date Taken: 06.20.2015
• Date Posted: 07.07.2015 16:45
• Story ID: 169318
• Location: COLORADO SPRINGS, CO, US