MILWAUKEE — Dennis Gaynor Jr. is the founder and CEO of Young Men On A Mission. The faith-based nonprofit organization was established in Milwaukee’s inner city and offers hands-on job training, after school mentoring and group sports to boys and young men.
“Mentorship is a real title. It’s a sincere title for me because I take that role very seriously. They watch what we do,” Dennis Gaynor Jr. said.
A big source of Dennis Gaynor Jr.’s inspiration is his son Dewayne Gaynor, who is a junior at Ronald Reagan High School and a member of Young Men On A Mission.
The father and son duo recently joined other members of Young Men On A Mission, as they were learning how to use and fix lawn equipment at Green Streek Outdoor Power on the city’s North Side.
“It gives young people like me an opportunity to go out and earn honest cash,” Dewayne Gaynor said. “We don’t have to do other things; we can just go cut grass. It’s teaching us how to go cut grass and, we can go out on our own and build a business.”
Cory Feurstel owns Green Streek Outdoor Power. He’s proud to be teaching these young men useful skills to help set them up for success.
He said that’s why he volunteers with Young Men On A Mission’s “Don’t Lose Your Edge” work training program.
“They can fix it [equipment] right on the job site and save their company, or who they work for, a lot of money, and they will become very valuable assets as a business owner or working for a particular company,” Feurstel said.
De’Mayan Dixon, a sophomore at Reagan High School who hopes to study architecture in college and own his own business someday, said he particularly appreciates the hands-on job training opportunities and visits to businesses the program offers.
“As we come here and learn these things, when we face that problem while working, we know how to take care of it, and can continue on with our day instead of having to put a pause on what we’re doing or pay to get it repaired,” Dixon said.
Dixon said he wants to become a mentor for others in the future, noting the impact Young Men On A Mission has made on his life.
“We can maybe one day be able to open our own repair shop, or you know, go around and do what Mr. Gaynor’s doing and help other young men, or women, become better at doing what they want to do and giving them life experiences,” Dixon said.
The power of mentorship is in the numbers. According to the nonprfit MENTOR, 74% of adults who had mentors when they were young said the experience contributed greatly to their success in life.
In addition, 85% said mentors helped them in their education, while 58% said mentors supported their mental health.