Tim Roberts

Founder, B.R.I.C.K. Program

As a former city police officer and Martin Luther King High School security guard, Tim Roberts had witnessed too many tragedies involving young men in the community. Many of them were growing up in neighborhoods where poverty rates reached 98 percent, and Tim saw anger, sadness, and self-destructive behavior.

He started the B.R.I.C.K. program in 1996 to provide an alternative. Here young men learn to think critically and solve problems, become role models, build stronger communities, and generate new expectations. They determine what role they can play in making a difference in their communities, and work together to set goals, plan, and analyze results.

Everyone in the area knows Tim. He is a mentor, counselor, and often a father figure. He is a person to talk to, and his work gives teens a safe place where they can go and be valued for who they are.

“His work gives teens a safe place where they can go and be valued for who they are.”