Alumnus Byron Brooks wins community service awards

HFC alumnus Byron Brooks has made the news again.

Currently a student at Ferris State University (FSU), Brooks – who has made it his life's mission to help the homeless – recently won both the Community Impact Award and the Initiative Award as part of FSU’s 20th Annual Torchbearer Award Ceremony.

Dedication, passion, and commitment

The Community Impact Award asks community partners from Mecosta and Osceola Counties to nominate their most deserving FSU student volunteer. The volunteer must showcase their work advancing the mission of the community organization through dedication, passion, and commitment.

The Initiative 125 Award was established in 2009 to celebrate FSU’s 125th anniversary and to honor the founders’ legacy of commitment to service. It is given to those individuals who have completed 125 or more hours of community service in the past year. In Brooks’ case, he completed more than 500 hours of community service. This is the second consecutive year he’s been given the Initiative 125 Award.

“While it’s nice to be recognized, I don’t do this for awards,” said Brooks. “I do this because I was homeless once, and I know what that’s like. I vowed that I would do everything I could to help the homeless and my community. I am just so grateful that God saw fit to use a person like me.”

Proud to be HFC

A firm believer in paying it forward, Brooks founded a non-profit organization called From The Hood For The Hood (FHFH) in 2018, which is dedicated to fighting homelessness and championing other social justice causes, including education.

Brooks will earn his bachelor’s degree in music and entertainment business in 2021. Although he enjoys being at FSU, he holds a special place in his heart for HFC, from which he earned his associate degree in telecommunication in 2018.

"The HFC Alumni Association is proud of all Byron's accomplishments," said Shai James-Boyd, HFC associate director of advancement and alumni relations. "Our students are encouraged to step up and meet the needs of the community and serve where needed. Byron represents the best and the brightest of HFC."

Brooks remains an active part of the broader HFC community. “I'm still proud to be HFC!” he said. “If any HFC students are in need of assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me, and I will do my best to help them obtain the resources they need.”