00:00It's me and Gene and Shannon Renee. The holiday season is right around the corner and we teamed up with First State Bank and a really dope local organization to help out some teenagers this holiday season.
00:10Yes, it's Teens Giving for the teens at TCB Youth Mentoring. We're raising donations so that they can go buy gifts for teens that go through the program.
00:19This is a program that runs all year long, not just during the holidays and has been going on for many, many years mentoring youth through the program.
00:27So I'm excited to see how our listeners show up for this program and, you know, help benefit it.
00:33Absolutely. So we've got Rashard sitting with us here. And Rashard, you've been a part of the TCB Youth Mentoring Program.
00:40How long have you been involved with the...
00:42Going on on like my sixth year. I met them my junior slash senior year of high school.
00:51And I've been with them like ever since. I've just been up under Tommy trying to learn, trying to like get my life together.
00:57Uh-huh. So what are some of the challenges that you faced entering, going into the program?
01:02Uh, that transition into adulthood.
01:04Yeah.
01:05So pretty much what a lot of us have in common is we come from single mom households.
01:09Uh-huh.
01:10And what the program gives us is a sense of brotherhood and most importantly fatherhood.
01:14Uh-huh.
01:14Tommy's like a father to me.
01:16So like pretty much, um, just being a part of that, it gives you other lessons that most young men out here in today's society don't have.
01:25Uh-huh.
01:25Which is like that guidance that they need from their fathers.
01:28Uh-huh.
01:28And pretty much that's like one of the biggest problems with our youth today.
01:33Uh-huh.
01:33Right.
01:33So that's what you pretty much gain from being in our program.
01:38Got you.
01:38Very cool.
01:39Um, so talk to me about, you know, I know you mentioned, you know, kind of having that father figure.
01:44Uh, but what are some of the lessons that you've learned kind of as you've gone through the program?
01:48Uh, a lot.
01:50Uh-huh.
01:50A lot.
01:51Um, my main one is like the, pretty much like how to carry yourself as a man in general.
01:59Um, it's a lot, there's a lot of, uh, I forgot the word for it, but it's, there's a lot of how to move, like doing the right thing.
02:11The biggest thing, our biggest thing is decisions determine destiny.
02:14Okay.
02:14And a lot of decisions that people make, that's what puts them where they are in life.
02:20Uh-huh.
02:20And so what I've, like, learned is always taking the harder decision versus the easy one that's going to get me what I want has always worked out better for me.
02:31Uh-huh.
02:32Um, it's given me maturity.
02:35Yeah.
02:35Uh, money management skills, most definitely.
02:38Uh-huh.
02:38When I started the program, I barely, I didn't have, I didn't even have underwear and socks.
02:42Uh-huh.
02:42But I've pretty much got it, like, I got myself together as a young man I am today.
02:47I might have to take some tips from you.
02:49On the financial aspect, I don't know about that.
02:54So have you been a part of the Teensgiving program, a beneficiary of that?
02:58Most definitely.
02:59So what did you receive and how did that affect you moving forward?
03:03Uh, pretty much on the purpose of the Teensgiving thing is because, like, once you turn into a teenager, your parents, like, everybody knows your parents pretty much forget, forget about you.
03:12Uh-huh.
03:12So pretty much we, like, we take care of the things that, not only that you want, but what you need.
03:17Like, we focus on clothes.
03:20The thing, what people don't understand is clothes are very important, especially when you're in high school.
03:25Uh-huh.
03:25Uh-huh.
03:25So, like, just being comfortable in your own skin in high school is one of the biggest things that'll help get you to even making it to graduation.
03:34Yeah.
03:35And so, like, we try to focus on that during Teensgiving, try to make sure everybody stays fresh, stay crispy, feel good about themselves.
03:42Yeah.
03:42So, like, that's, like, one of the main things right there.
03:45But as far as, like, what I benefited from, last Christmas I got an Xbox.
03:49Uh-huh.
03:51We do all type of stuff.
03:53We gave one little kid a PS5.
03:54He lost his mind.
03:55Yeah.
03:56Aw.
03:56I've, besides, like, the materialistic things, I just like the feeling I get when I see the love being spread.
04:05Yeah.
04:05And I just, I like that good Christmas Eve feel.
04:10I mean, that good Thanksgiving feel about what it's actually about, which is giving.
04:14Right.
04:14And, well, Tommy Barnes, who is, who started the program, he explained that this is a peer-to-peer program.
04:20So, you guys know what some of your peers need, their sizes, and you guys go do the shopping for them and give it to them.
04:27So, you have that feeling of also giving back, not only just benefiting from the program, right?
04:31Yeah.
04:31We pretty much, we handle all that.
04:34Yeah.
04:34It's 100% peer-to-peer.
04:36Yeah.
04:36So, like, we know what everybody needs.
04:38Uh-huh.
04:38That's the beauty about it.
04:42Other programs that where the adults, like, try to handle stuff, y'all come from, like, an adult's point of view.
04:47Like, that's what, that's what, like, it'd be like, uh, that's why you're not getting the results.
04:53Yeah.
04:53So, trust me, I'm a parent of a teen right now, and I'm not getting the results.
04:57I'm not kidding.
04:57I'm just kidding.
04:58If you go to her, if you go to his or her friend, you'll be golden.
05:02Yeah.
05:02Yeah.
05:03Pretty nice.
05:04All right.
05:04So, now, you know, you started off in the program as a mentee, and it sounds like you're moving, you know, more towards a mentor role now that you've been involved with the program in six years.
05:14So, tell me what that transition has been like, where you go from getting the advice and getting the help to now helping other people and flipping it around.
05:22It's difficult.
05:23Yeah.
05:24It's very difficult because these kids are different nowadays.
05:28Mm-hmm.
05:29And, like, some of them, they grew up being, with me being so young, they end up becoming my friend.
05:34Mm-hmm.
05:35Like, one of the students that we had just passed recently, Don Williams, he was very close to me.
05:40Mm-hmm.
05:40And, like, it's a beautiful feeling, but it's also, like, you really got to be battle-tested through God to deal with this.
05:50Mm-hmm.
05:50Because we come across different cases of kids all day, every day.
05:54Mm-hmm.
05:55And it's, like, it's crazy.
05:58Yeah.
05:58I don't know how my mentor do it.
06:00Yeah.
06:00And the fact that he's telling me I got to strap it on and I got to get to work, it scares me sometimes, but I feel like this is what God called me to do.
06:08Mm-hmm.
06:08So, I'm going to do what I got to do for my Lord and Savior and make sure I got Tommy back while I'm doing that, too.
06:16Yeah.
06:16Well, you're very inspiring, and I'm so glad that, like you said, you went from, you know, mentee to mentor, and to see that progression on your path, I think it's just absolutely amazing and inspiring for other kids, too.
06:27And so, and I think it speaks to the program in a massive way, right, that people want to continue, and they've been moved so much.
06:34I mean, teenagers.
06:35Mm-hmm.
06:35It takes a lot to impress these kids.
06:37You know what I mean?
06:37That's, like, the most pivotal point in all of our lives.
06:41Yeah.
06:41Like, your teen years is what makes you, like, everybody talks about, like, when you become, when you get grown, but everybody forgets about that little bit right before you become grown.
06:52Mm-hmm.
06:53Mm-hmm.
06:53That's what, like, when you get into being grown.
06:55Like, I'm still not fully grown myself since I'm 24.
06:57I'm 40 and I'm not.
06:59Yeah.
07:02It's wild.
07:03Yeah.
07:03So, like, being in a position where I'm, like, helping people.
07:06Yeah.
07:06Mm-hmm.
07:07It feels good, but it's hard.
07:09Yeah.
07:09I know it's a lot to shoulder.
07:11It definitely is a lot to shoulder.
07:12Yeah.
07:12There's no, but there's no better feeling in the world than helping someone.
07:16A hundred percent.
07:17Look up to you.
07:18So, yeah, that's really cool, man.
07:20I'm glad that you are part of this program and I'm glad that, you know, you've been successful
07:25in it and now you're, you're someone that other people can now look up to, which is amazing.
07:30So, congratulations.
07:32Congratulations on that, man, because that's a big deal.
07:35Absolutely.
07:35You guys still have the mic.
07:36So, is there anything else about the program or anything that you want to tell our listeners
07:40today to motivate them to want to help out?
07:42Um, pretty much just do what you feel is right in your heart.
07:46Mm-hmm.
07:47I'm not going to press the issue.
07:48I'm not going to, if you, if you feel like you can, if you feel it on you to do something,
07:54do the, do what you can.
07:56Yeah.
07:57That is, all help is appreciated.
07:59Mm.
08:01I need to talk to Rashard off the mic.
08:03He's going to teach me a few life lessons, I think.
08:05That guy is a pro, Rashard.
08:06Thank you so much for your time, my brother.
08:08We appreciate you.
08:09Uh, Teensgiving is the program, if you want to donate and help the TCB Youth Mentoring
08:14Program, uh, all you got to do is hit 105onthebounce.com.
08:17Yeah.
08:18And also, while you're there, you'll be able to check out some success stories, including
08:21his on the website.
08:22My guy, Rashard.
08:23So, you can actually see where your money is ending up, right?
08:26It's not often that you get to see from the very beginning where your dollar goes at
08:29the end.
08:30So, I'm glad that we're able to showcase those on the website.
