As My Brother’s Workshop faces a steep drop in government funding, leaders of the nonprofit say they’re working hard to keep programs running — and want the community to understand what’s at stake.
Established in 2007, MBW began as a grassroots effort to provide at-risk youth in the Virgin Islands with alternatives to crime and gun violence.
“Our vision is to end gun violence in the Virgin Islands, and we do that through a holistic approach of mentorship, education, and counseling,” said Chrystie Payne, the program and development director at MBW.
The program currently serves 41 young people, both male and female, ages 16 to 24, by teaching valuable skills in construction, woodworking, agriculture, and culinary arts. The workshop focuses on building real-world experience that trainees can carry into the job market through the program’s job placement efforts.
MBW doesn’t just focus on jobs, though. When the program first began, it focused on helping young people find employment and earn a living. However, as the organization expanded, it became evident that students required additional support.
“We have to help each individual, meet them where they’re at,” said Jenny Hawkes, the executive director of MBW.
The program also includes a licensed social worker, who plays a key role in identifying warning signs and connecting students with resources, such as the Family Resource Center or the Human Services Department, when needed.
As the program grows to meet more of those needs, funding has become a concern for the organization.
“It’s this weird thing with the government grants … Even though they (the local government) asked us to add a program in St. Croix in 2015, it was like they reduced the (grant) amount in St. Thomas and transferred it over to St. Croix,” said Hawkes.
“The grant used to be $100,000 per island. So $200,000 is now only $100,000 (total). And technically we’ve only received one quarter payment.”
“We did get some government grants back in 2012, which are the same ones that we’re operating on now,” said Hawkes. “But we’ve been reduced slowly over time … One of the grants — this is from the general appropriation grant allotment — they reduced it by 50%.”
“They’re a little hard on your budget because as you’re doing the forecasting, you don’t know exactly when the government’s going to release the funds, even though you’re still doing the services.”
This decrease in funding hasn’t just made things financially uncomfortable — it’s threatening the very future of the organization’s work.
MBW recently completed construction on a new $7 million workforce development facility, which Payne and Hawkes say will allow MBW to double or even triple the number of youth they serve each year. But without additional funding from grants to match that growth, the facility can’t operate at its full capacity.
“To receive that kind of a reduction in our grant from the local government is kind of frustrating,” said Hawkes.
“We’re about to be able to double and triple our number of students. So what would make sense is actually increasing the government allotment … By reducing, it just puts more pressure on us to either raise it through the products that we’re selling or through private donations,” said Hawkes.
Funding is the top priority for My Brother’s Workshop, with Payne and Hawkes emphasizing that money is essential to keep their services running.
Payne and Hawkes describe MBW as a proven system that works — but say it needs consistent funding to keep the doors open.
They also stress the importance of community awareness and support, not just asking for donations, but spreading the word about the positive impact the institution has on local youth.
“We’re so incredibly grateful to our supporters … There’s so many people already doing enough. We just want to spread awareness and try to cast as wide a net as we possibly can to make sure that we’re able to keep this program going,” said Payne.
To help with the recent funding issues, MBW has launched a new fundraising campaign. One supporter has pledged to match all donations up to $25,000 through Aug. 30. The campaign aims to raise critical funds and awareness to keep programs running and expand support for local youth.
If you are interested in donating, click here.
