“We wanted to give back to the community in memory of my son.”

Following the murder of Jomond A. Lightfoot in 2009, John H. Brown III sought to take his 25 years of experience in the building trade industry and 15 years of teaching carpentry and share it with “at-risk youths and adults who have a strong desire to change their lives,” he says. His hope: They would then take their new skills into the trade industry and improve the Metro Richmond area.

The next year in February 2010, Mr. Brown established the 5C’s Development Program with his parents.

Now, nine years later, the minority-owned nonprofit has grown to be officially recognized as a training school and gathered a number of public and private partners, including the City of Richmond’s Office of Community Wealth Building, the National Center for Construction Education and Research and the Metropolitan Business League, while continuing its mission of empowering and bolstering Richmond’s trade community.

The 5C’s program encompasses a wide range of vocational training courses in the areas of carpentry, construction, certification, contracting and counseling, from building scaffolds and installing roofs to workplace readiness, OSHA compliance and construction management. Program fees range from $150 to $5,000.

As a founder, Mr. Brown also serves 5C’s as an instructor, a mentor, and primary funder, supplying all of the money for the nonprofit’s operations. This would seem to be an overwhelming amount of responsibility for a company with only two employees, three board members and considerable ambitions, but Mr. Brown is undaunted, saying, “It is time for me to give back to the community.”

5C’s goal of reducing poverty in the city and reinvigorating its workforce is one that has become more important and needed in recent years, according to Mr. Brown, as the infrastructure in the United States continues to deteriorate from age and weather. Mr. Brown sees a lack of trade workers as a key factor in this growing issue, caused in part by a national shift toward other careers, along with a lack of vocational training support.

“Now they’ve got themselves in a bind because now we have no skilled workers,” the 57- year-old Mr. Brown says, “and now America’s infrastructure is breaking down every day.”

As a result, he sees the work needed to inform and ready future trade workers as filling in a gap he sees as necessary to maintain Richmond, the state and the country at large.

It likely won’t be easy, as 5C’s work continues to be complicated by issues with transportation for those enrolled, connecting with contractors and participants and the need for donations, among other obstacles. But Mr. Brown remains steadfast in his mission and hopes that Richmond residents step up to the challenge and ensure that their city is supported by a varied, enthusiastic and skilled workforce.

Mr. Brown says, “Your community needs your hands.”

Meet a man building a legacy of trade skills and knowledge, and this week’s Personality, John H. Brown III:

Date and place of birth: June 26 in Richmond.

Education: Marshall-Walker High School.

Family: Wife, Velva Jeffries Brown, and sons, John H. Brown IV and Jomond A. Lightfoot, who is deceased.

What is 5C’s Development Program: 5C’s Development Program is a minority-owned nonprofit in Richmond. The program was established to offer vocational training program to residents in the Metro Richmond area. We offer training courses to individuals who have a strong desire to follow a path within the trade industry.

What do the 5Cs stand for: Carpentry, construction, certification, contracting and counseling.

Who founded program: My mother and father, Shirley and John Brown Sr., and me in February 2010.

Why program was started: We wanted to give back to the community in memory of my son, Jomond Alonzo Lightfoot. Jomond was murdered on April 20, 2009, at the young age of 24. Jomond’s tragic death inspired the Brown family to help others and support the community by offering vocational training to at-risk youth and adults who have a strong desire to change their lives.

Why program is needed: In the United States, we have a shortage of skilled workers —people who work with their hands. The goal of 5C’s is to help with workforce development so area residents can have the desire to get back in the workforce and the building trades.

My work experience before program: I have been teaching vocational training in public education for 15 years.

What I learned working for others: You must be patient because everyone learns differently.

What I try to teach those who enroll: The 5C’s tries to teach new workplace readiness skills, safe, on-the-job and hands-on building.

Current role I play with 5C’s: Founder and instructor.

Number of people enrolled since founding: 25.

Number enrolled in 2019: 10. Number completing the program since founding: 25. Number employed after completion: 25.

How does program benefit those who complete it: They have an understanding about the building trade and workforce development concepts.

What I would do if I had unlimited funds: Train the residents who want to learn the new workforce in the building trade and then job-placement after training.

Is there a challenge recruiting participants: Yes. We must get back to working with our hands.

Top three successes since 5C’s founding: Being recognized as a training school; being joined by 10 new partners; and understanding that this is very important to the community.

Foremost challenges 5C’s faces: 5C’s would like to reach out to major contractors in the city of Richmond and let the contractors know that the 5C’s would like them to join the team.

What more needs to be done: 5C’s needs grant money and donations for training.

What I tell people about 5C’s: Your community needs your hands. The future of our city depends on a skilled workforce of men and women with strong building trade skills, high values and work ethics.

Why I am proud of what has been done: It is time for me to give back to the community.

Favorite late-night snack: Junk food that I do not need.

Favorite activity when I am not involved in 5C’s: I like playing pool.

Person or persons who influenced me the most: My mother and father and Booker T. Washington.

What I hope people think about me: It is always good to know what people think about you. but I work for God.

Favorite TV show: Any building programs on TV.

Next goal: The 5C’s mission statement is to provide vocational education and training programs to stop the cycle of unemployment and poverty in the Metro Richmond area. That’s my goal.