INDIANAPOLIS – A well-known foundation is making a major contribution to finding solutions to gun violence in central Indiana.
“Making a difference in people’s lives. I think that’s a really, really great thing,” said Owen Linton, who is involved in the construction training program of the Nehemiah Project at New Direction Church.
The Lilly Endowment provides thousands of dollars to 18 organizations, including an Indy church that provides men with educational opportunities and job skills.
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“You know, back in Jamaica, my grandmother always said, ‘A lazy man shouldn’t eat,'” Linton said.
He was born and raised in Montego Bay, Jamaica.
“My mother, my father, five brothers, me, six, and a sister. We had a very, very hard life,” Linton said.
Linton told WRTV’s Amber Grigley that he was a professional swimmer in his country and that he saw this path as a way out.
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“I was broadcasting all over the United States and my friends were shouting, ‘Owen, you’re on TV,'” Linton said.
A life in the spotlight that brought him to the Hoosier State, where he is now chasing his American dream.
“You are born in a place where there is no future and nothing to live for,” Linton said.
Seven months ago, Owen stumbled upon the Nehemiah Project Construction Training Program at New Direction Church.
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“I think we can either sit on the sidelines and watch something happen in our community, or we can help be part of the change. So we choose to be part of changing lives,” said Pastor Kenneth Sullivan Jr., senior pastor of New Direction Church.
The eight-week program helps men find another path to a better life away from crime and destruction.
Owen saw this as an opportunity to learn new trades and to mentor the young men and build a better future.
“Many workers come here and ask, ‘Are you the pastor?’ I say, ‘No.’ They ask, ‘Are you the boss?’ I say, ‘No, I’m a worker like you,'” Linton said.
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“We are so fortunate that others invest in us and our program, and we can now invest in other men just like Owen,” Sullivan said.
An investment in which Lilly Endowment is investing $100,000 to support gun violence reduction and workforce development programs.
The men involved will gain hands-on experience at two New Direction construction sites, one on East 86th Street and the other on East 38th Street.
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“Follow our dreams and if we work hard, we could have great success,” Linton said.
Owen hopes to continue working on New Direction Church’s development projects, but would like to start his own construction company called On Demand Jamaica.
The Lilly Endowment awarded a total of $4.6 billion in grants to community centers, faith-based groups and child-focused programs to reduce gun violence.
