For Carey Foster of Dungeon Boxing Gym, Boys & Girls Club means “safe haven” to him as a Club alumnus of W.W. Houston Boys & Girls Club. Now as a business owner in Covington, Foster was searching for ways to give back in a big way to his local Boys & Girls Club.
Foster has partnered with Newton County Boys & Girls Club to offer funding for a Passport2Manhood program.
This program is devoted toward empowering young men to become successful and productive adults.
His reason for giving back in such a large way is simple, “the Boys & Girls Club was influential in my life and others.”
“Relocating from housing projects to low income neighborhoods, as a protective measure to keep me off of the streets and out of trouble my mother deemed it necessary to enroll me in the Boys and Girls Club,” he shared. “It’s important to have community assistance with raising a child in a single parent home. With the parent having to work long hours to provide the things the child needs and half the things the child wants, we may fall short in other aspects of parenting.”
From the ages of 12 to 16, Foster was at the Club and he credits it as a place where he knew he was safe and able to grow up among positive role models.
“At times when my peers and I were being mischievous and that little voice in my head said “not a good idea” or “it’s time to get off the block,” I would go to the Boys & Girls Club and play football, basketball, go swimming or spend time at the teen center,” he added.
Foster hopes to instill these characteristics he gained from his BGC experience to the youth of this generation.
With the Passport2Manhood program, Foster is looking forward to young men receiving mentorship and life skill elements that help them become productive as teens.
“As a young man I needed guidance and support to deal with life's struggles and at times made bad choices because I didn’t have it,” he shared. “I would like to offer guidance and support our young adults to prevent them from having to go through some of the hardships I had to learn.”
He’s looking forward to watching teens confidence grown and learning skills for critical thinking.
At the end of the day life-changing work takes partnerships and Foster hopes that his support will showcase the importance of “businesses needing to work together to help make a difference in community.”
Overall, Foster is excited to be the role model so many people offered him during his BGC experience as a teen.
“It means a great deal to me to be able to give back to the community because I know firsthand how the support of the Boys & Girls Club helped change my life,” he shared.
Dungeon Boxing Gym is located at 11505 Brown Bridge Road in Covington, GA. The gym was established in 2015 by Carey Foster and his wife, Ebonita. The Dungeon offers boxing training, strength and conditioning, dance classes, tutoring and mentoring. To learn more about The Dungeon Boxing Gym visit dungeonsquads.com or call 770-788-0680.
To learn more about Newton County Boys & Girls Club, visit www.bgncg.com/newtoncountyor call 470-444-1914.