The E.A.T. Foundation of Wendell, NC

VISION:

Where Youth: CONNECT, GROW, FLORISH

ABOUT:

Why am I so passionate about helping the youth? Well, when I was growing up in a single parent home with four siblings (Paulette, Sharon, Andre, and Alton) in the North Carolina region of Nash/Wilson County area resources went lacking. My mother, Romaine Taybron-Mitchell, worked 2-3 jobs at a time to make ends meet. There were no free resources to go towards any extracurricular activities, especially during my teenage years. All three of us boys were athletic and played sports. My father did not live with us; so therefore, support from him was limited not none.

The first I can remember going without was when I wanted to play football in middle school. I needed cleats and a mouth piece in order to play. Gloves were optional. Gloves were more just for aesthetic purposes. I had to beg my dad for cleats and gloves. His lady at the time was the one who constantly encouraged him to financially care for his biological kids. Having said that, if I had not played that year, I would not have had an opportunity to set a single rushing record of 1,440 yards, 12 TDs in 8 games (most sport fans can appreciate those stats). I also was the first recipient to receive “The Golden Helmet Award” from Toisnot Middle School in Wilson, NC my 8th grade year. That year in middle school I played football, basketball (needed shoes) and baseball (used my football shoes) and received a Tri-Athlete award. I had no idea I possessed the talent as a football player if I had not participated in organized football that year (1987-88) with the essential gear.

All throughout my high school years I played basketball, football, and track. I was in need of all the essential sporting equipment again; not to mention clothes for high school. My GRANDMOTHER (Pauline Taybron) would take us shopping every year using her JC Penny’s credit card to buy us a couple outfits for school. We had to twist our mother’s arm just to purchase us name brand shoes which we thought were inexpensive, but to her they were costly; especially buying for three teenage boys. It was very sad and discouraging, yet to avoid being picked on in school we needed to have name brand shoes and clothes. Bullying was in school then as it is now. My brothers and I shared our clothes and would switch up outfits throughout the week, so it would appear that we had more clothes than we did. Thankfully, my younger brother was a couple grades behind me, so we attended different schools. That allowed us to switch up outfits throughout the week and no one ever knew. Once my oldest brother (who was not my clothes size so it didn’t matter with him) graduated from high school and my younger brother attended high school with me, it became more difficult for us to pull off switching outfits during the week. Our clothes options were limited, so we had to switch up anyways and suffer the consequences later of being called out! Since we both were becoming popular due to our athletic abilities, we had to worry a little less about being picked on. There were still those jealous, cowardly bullies that didn’t care about athletic fame. Bullies want to humiliate anyone they see as potentially weak and vulnerable prey. I was bullied throughout my high school years even in college at UNC-Chapel Hill by my football teammates because I was quiet and different.

Growing up, I had really poor reading/comprehension skills. I rarely remember reading a book growing up at home. I really struggled badly reading out loud in class. It was embarrassing not being able to read and sound out words. I would get laughed at and made fun of on a regular basis. Not even mentioning my bed wetting years that started at an early age and followed me all throughout my teenage years up to my freshmen year in college. I wet the bed once in college and after that it ceased. Thank God for sparing me the embarrassing bed wetting experience in college! God knew how much I could bare and that alone would have sent me over the edge. I was suicidal during my college days at UNC. I was picked on by several players on the team. I took several pills attempting to take my life, but only ended up with a terrible stomach ache. God was watching over me then and I didn’t even realize it. I actually attempted to walk home from Chapel-Hill to Knightdale (approximately 40miles) during the summer ’93 football camp. That is how low in the dumps I was. However, those events happened to me in my younger years, so that I could be a witness to those who are in my shoes today. If I can survive and thrive through all of this, So Can You!!!!

Tying all those events together; and I’m sure I missed several other significant moments in my timeline, has brought me here to the E.A.T. Foundation of Wendell, NC. My wife and I love people and want to see them succeed in every aspect of their lives, especially our youth. We welcome you to CONNECT, GROW, FLOURISH with us.

CONNECT, GROW, FLOURISH

PROGRAMS:

CONTACT E. A. T. Foundation of Wendell, NC