A nonprofit organization founded by two Hoover firefighters is making a positive impact on the lives of young men in the community. Manufacture Good, which started as Magic City Woodworks, provides apprenticeships and life skills to young men who are seeking direction.

Providing a Refuge

The faith-based organization, led by Tim Lawson and Lawrence Sheffield, offers custom furniture making and pays apprentices $15 per hour. The program is designed to provide a refuge for young men who are looking for a way to turn their lives around.

One of the success stories is Quindarius Johnson, who was 17 years old when he joined the program. Johnson, who is now a Birmingham police officer, credits Manufacture Good with teaching him valuable life skills and helping him to become a productive member of society.

Teaching Life Skills

Lawson and Sheffield are guided by the Bible passage Matthew 4:19, which says, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” They believe that by teaching young men valuable skills and providing them with a sense of purpose, they can help them to become positive contributors to their communities.

The organization has received grants from Reinvest Birmingham and the Sandlin Foundation for Kids and Kindness, which has helped to support their mission. Manufacture Good is looking to expand its program and provide more opportunities for young men in the community.

For more information about Manufacture Good, visit their website at manufacturegood.org.

Original reporting: Hoover Sun — read the source article.