• Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • Linkedin

Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service

Your neighborhood. Your News.

newsMilwaukee NNSMilwaukee NNSSearch
Subscribe to NNS today!
Advertisement
  • Home
  • News
    • Arts and Recreation
    • Community
    • Economic Development
    • Education
    • Health and Wellness
    • Housing
    • Public Safety
    • NNS Spotlight
    • Special Report
  • Posts From Community
    • Submit a Story
  • Community Voices
  • How To
  • Multimedia
    • NNS Local Video
    • Photos
    • NNS on Lake Effect
    • NNS WGLB 1560 Radio
  • Subscribe
  • Donate
  • About
    • Staff
    • Partners
    • News 414
    • The neighborhoods we cover
Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service

Diederich College of Communication, Marquette University

You are here: Home / Home / Carousel / NNS Spotlight: ‘We’re saving lives’: A mentorship program for young boys in Milwaukee

NNS Spotlight: ‘We’re saving lives’: A mentorship program for young boys in Milwaukee

December 30, 2020 by Ana Martinez-Ortiz Leave a Comment

Share this...
Share on Facebook
Facebook
Pin on Pinterest
Pinterest
Tweet about this on Twitter
Twitter
Share on LinkedIn
Linkedin

Damari Gholson Perkins, shown with executive director Lance Ambrose, says he enjoys being a part of the Saving Our Sons program. (Photo by Ana Martinez-Ortiz)

Editor’s note: This story is part of an  occasional series that highlights groups and people worth knowing in Milwaukee. To nominate a person or a group, email info@milwaukeenns.org and put “Spotlight” in the subject line.

Damari Gholson Perkins’ father is missing from his life, but the Milwaukee boy is not without a father figure.

About a year ago, Damari, 10, joined Saving Our Sons Mentoring Movement, a nonprofit organization that provides mentors to youths in the greater Milwaukee area.

Although the coronavirus pandemic prevented Damari from meeting with his mentor during the first half of the year, he had the chance to reconnect over the summer.

Damari’s mentor is Lance Ambrose, the founder and executive director of Saving Our Sons.

Ambrose, 37, began the organization in 2018. He felt compelled to start the mentorship program after reflecting on his own life. Ambrose’s father died when he was 16, and around the same time, he was involved in small-time robberies. Eventually, he turned his life around.

Ambrose’s goal was to provide youths with a mentor who would be transparent and supportive but who could also meet teens where they are. He knows firsthand what it is like not to have a solid father figure and how important dads are in shaping a young man’s life.

Mentors and mentees gather to meet each other and celebrate the new office space for Saving Our Sons. (Photo by Ana Martinez-Ortiz)

As in most mentoring programs, the mentors are encouraged to meet with their mentees a couple of times a month and establish connections with them.

Unlike other mentoring programs, Saving Our Sons is divided into three levels.

Saving Our Sons follows a military-based program. The youths, called privates, begin in the base program, which lasts six to 12 months, followed by an intermediate level.  Eventually, they are invited to join the Class S.A.V.E. Movement, which teaches CPR, the use of automated external defibrillators and first-aid training with the of the goal of the youths becoming certified first responders.

“We’re teaching the youth how to be first responders and good Samaritans,” Ambrose said. “We’re soldiers. We’re soldiers in the army of the Lord. We’re saving lives.”

So far, the program has about 10 mentees and about 12 mentors. Ambrose said about 30 people have gone through the program. Currently, he is working with group homes, schools and his church to spread the word.

Lance Ambrose, the founder and executive director of Saving Our Sons, says his program encourages youths to be first responders and good Samaritans. (Photo by Ana Martinez-Ortiz)

Saidirick Walker, 47, works as a business development associate, but before that, he served in the military for over five years.

He first heard about the organization when he was grocery shopping near his house. Walker noticed Ambrose and his sons speaking about the program and was intrigued.

After talking with Ambrose and doing his own research, he decided to become a mentor.

Walker said the program is a life-saving endeavor, and he hopes to leave a positive impact on the youths he mentors.

“I think the biggest challenge is just making a connection with the youth I’m involved with,” he said. “One thing I’d like to leave the person I’m mentoring is that there is hope, that sense of hope.”

Monte Kirk, 46, is another mentor.

“I try to deal with a lot of youth and help them out with life in general,” said Kirk, a police officer in the Milwaukee Police Department. “The program drew me in.”

As for Damari, he’s enjoyed being a part of the program. His mother, Asia Gholson, said Ambrose has been an active participant in Damari’s life and encourages other parents to sign their children up.

“I just hope it gives him experience and a better understanding of life,” Gholson said. “It’s a great program. It really has your kids’ well-being at heart.”


To learn more about Saving Our Sons

Saving Our Sons recently relocated from Ambrose’s home to an office space at 11414 W. Park Place, Suite 202, on Milwaukee’s far Northwest Side.

To learn more about the Saving Our Sons Mentoring Movement and how to get involved, visit the Saving Our Sons website or email Lance Ambrose at sosmovement17@gmail.com.

Share this...
Share on Facebook
Facebook
Pin on Pinterest
Pinterest
Tweet about this on Twitter
Twitter
Share on LinkedIn
Linkedin

Filed Under: Carousel, Home, Neighborhoods, News, NNS Spotlight

Ana Martinez-Ortiz

About Ana Martinez-Ortiz

Facebook |  Twitter | More stories from Ana

Ana is the community engagement reporter and beat reporter for neighborhood groups and nonprofits. As the community engagement reporter, Ana is known for writing five things to know/do for the week and weekend, how to articles and spotlight articles. Ana attended the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and graduated in 2017 with degrees in Spanish and journalism.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Advertisement
Advertisement

How To …

How to avoid stimulus check scams

A new round of stimulus checks will likely also bring out a new round of scams. Here’s what to watch out for.

More "How To" articles

Advertisement

Recommended Reading

A Vaccine Reality Check

The Atlantic

UWM study on the state of Black Milwaukee describes the city as ‘the epitome of a 21st century racial regime’

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Videos Show How Federal Officers Escalated Violence in Portland

The New York Times

These mayors want to fight Covid-19 and the recession with one big idea: A guaranteed income

Vox

The World John Lewis Helped Create

The Atlantic

News

  • Arts and Recreation
  • Economic Development
  • Education
  • Health and Wellness
  • Housing
  • Public Safety
  • NNS Spotlight
  • Special Reports
  • Multimedia
    • NNS Videos
    • Photos
    • NNS on Lake Effect Radio

Engage with us

  • Posts from Community
  • Community Voices
  • Submit a Story

About NNS

  • Staff
  • Partners
  • News414
  • The neighborhoods we cover
  • Internship opportunities
  • Careers
  • Terms of use
  • Advertise

Connect with us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • LinkedIn
  • RSS feed

Communities

Contact

mailing address
Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Diederich College of Communication
Marquette University
1131 W. Wisconsin Ave.
Johnston Hall 430
Milwaukee, WI 53233

email
info@milwaukeenns.org

phone & fax
PHONE: 414.604.6397 FAX: 414.288.6494

Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service is a project of Diederich College of Communication and Marquette University.
© 2020 Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service. Terms of use.
1131 W. Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee WI 53233 • info@milwaukeenns.org

Copyright © 2021 · News Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in