Her name was Jewel Byrd. A hard-worker devoted to her children, her church and other children. For as long as I can remember, we lived on Orange Lane in Ozark, Alabama. I can remember, when I was a little boy, my mama would not allow us to go outside on Christmas Day because she didn’t want the other kids making fun of us or asking us what we got for Christmas. So, on Christmas Day, we would have to stay inside, but one thing for sure: there was a meal.

I say that because it has always remained in my head. A single mother raising four kids in a three-bedroom apartment. I also can remember eating breaded toast with syrup while sitting in the kitchen by candlelight, because we had no lights, and waiting for the first of the month so mama could pay the light bill. Yes, true enough, she did odd jobs. She worked for the Hand family for many years, cleaning rooms, apartments, and cooking. But her love and passion were loving her kids, as well as other children. My mom was the neighborhood babysitter, and she helped raise a lot of kids. When the first of the month rolled around, we would go to Acker Avenue, or as some know it as The Block, to pick up the commodity box, or food box. In that box there were powered eggs, powdered milk, a can of pork and beans, butter, a bag of rice, a block of cheese and the cheese made the world’s best grilled cheese and macaroni and cheese. Well, as time rolled on, I can remember going to choir rehearsal one Monday afternoon with my mom and the man that would pick her up would be the local funeral home owner, Mr. Johnny Lee Trawick. So, one day Mr. Trawick asked me, “What are you doing every day after school?”, and my mama would interrupt him by saying, “Mr. Trawick, can you find him something to do before he gets himself into trouble?” So, Mr. Trawick said, “Just come by the funeral home tomorrow after school.” I was 13, and I remained there for over 20 years. Shortly after my time at the funeral home had ended, I was employed by the City of Ozark as a firefighter. That career lasted 12 years before moving on to become a civil service firefighter.

In 2018, my firefighter career ended, and that’s when I began working on my nonprofit organization. I had such a passion and love for working with kids, because that’s what was instilled in me by my mama. It took a year for me to start my 501. Shortly afterward, I had my boots on the ground, running. I was determined to get the nonprofit off the ground and until this day, it has been one of my passions to work with kids the same way my mother worked with children as a single mother. Some would wonder, how did I come up with the name 46 OL Foundation? Let me explain, for 20-plus years, 46 was the number of our apartment in the housing projects. Orange Lane was the street name. That was the village that raised me, my brother, my nephew, and my sister. So, it was only fitting to use the name because it is so near to my heart. And again, you can’t beat God’s giving!