Charles Matthews is the CEO of Matthews Enterprises LLC and the national spokesperson for Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc.’s partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters. He got involved with the organization after attending a meeting at the local Big Brother Big Sister chapter.
“My wife had been encouraging me to get involved with the school system. I also got the challenge from my Omega Psi Phi fraternity that we needed to get involved,” says Matthews.
Matthews is currently the big brother of Rico Johnson, whom he started mentoring in the fifth grade. The relationship between the two has taken years to build.
“Rico was a really angry young man, a true statistical failure that would probably [have been] dead or in prison by now. It took me about a year to first convince him to trust me and that it was about him,” states Matthews.
Rico is now a senior in high school and is thinking about pursuing a degree in the medical field.
In the midst of the worst economic conditions since the Great Depression, many parents are working longer hours in order to provide for their families. In their parents’ absence, some young people are left to fend for themselves, which is where organizations like Big Brother Big Sister can step in to provide the guidance necessary to keep youngsters on the right track. –christian johnson
