Michael Brown grew up in a very busy house as one of 15 kids. His dad wasn't around and his older brothers were in an out of prison. His mother worked hard to take care of her kids- Michael remembers staying up late with her on many occasions to clean the house- no small task with their very busy house.
Despite his very poor upbringing & tough neighborhood he remembers feeling God in his life from a young age. On Sundays his mother would arrange to have the local pastor come by and pick him up for Church and Sunday School.
Michael founded his non-profit, Spokane Eastside Reunion Association (SERA) as a way to connect people in his community. It started as a facebook group to let people know they were having a neighborhood reunion. They were going to meet at a local park, play basketball and have a BBQ. To Michael's astonishment 3,500 people showed up and totally overwhelmed the event.
He started to realize the power of his community and the importance of unity. One of his first events after forming the non-profit was starting a basketball camp. His first camp had 10 kids and was done at a local community center. He wanted to be able to offer the camp to kids who couldn't afford to come so he started a scholarship program accepting local donations.
He later decided to put his years in the restaurant industry to work and open a comfort food restaurant where he would teach local youth life and work skills. He especially saw God's hand as he worked to turn the building into a restaurant.
The restaurant follows a 16 week program to teach kids about finances, entrepreneurship, time management, work skills and most importantly about their relationship with God. With a certificate from SERA in hand, they graduate from the program with work experience and life training.
He has blessed the lives of so many youth and continues to pour his whole soul into his program.
Connect with Michael on Facebook
@SpokaneeastsidereunionASSOC
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