Fort Lauderdale Community Center (FLCC) started in 2002, as IOG Community Youth Vocational Center in Stone Mountain, GA, teaching kids-at-risk a vocational skill in computer repair and terminology. The concept, have them take a working system apart then put it back together working! The system they put together they took home. We’ve since moved our headquarters to Fort Lauderdale, FL in 2009.
Since 2009, the Fort Lauderdale Community Center led by two unique individuals: William Gary Jr., Executive Director and L. Hope Gary, Chief Executive Officer. Together, they have implemented signature projects to ameliorate blighted neighborhoods and brought forth solutions to address the factors to improve the lives of children, youth and strengthen families in the Broward Municipal District (BMSD) of Ft Lauderdale, Florida.
No two people in Broward County have been more resolute in their beliefs than Hope and William Gary, who have dedicated their lives to achieving the dreams of young people and adults in our community of Ft Lauderdale, Florida. As a part of their legacy, we wish to further develop partnerships to annually support and endow programs in the FLCC’s core focus areas of : Education, Youth Empowerment, Training, Affordable Housing and Technology.
The Preston Andre Flowers Foundation was created after losing the founders nephew to gun violence on December 26, 2014. This funding is donated by the family to the organization for scholarships to those in need. He was born to Patrice Flowers and Wesley Godwin on February 2, 1974, in South Bend, Indiana. He grew up with his Aunts and Uncles who were more like brothers and sisters. Preston, named after his Great Uncle, Preston Glover, was fun-loving, had a laugh that was just contagious, very charismatic, quick-witted, and very smart. Making Valedictorian in the 6th grade and on the honor roll list each year he was in school. Like many young Black men he saw no place in mainstream society. He always felt he was too dark and didn’t have the “good hair,” so he made his own way and worked for himself as he pursued a music career and produced some young men he saw potential in making it big. With his clothes, he stayed sharp, had a tennis shoe collection with well over 300 pairs! He loved his family and his family loved him. He was “That Dude” if you needed a loan, to make it to the next payday, you could go to him and he would help you, he took care of his brother and sister as well as his Mother, Grandmother and Great-Grandmother, when ever they needed to call on him. He adored his children, nieces, nephews and cousins. He will never be replaced or forgotten. In 2015 the foundation was created.
In 2015 our founders lost another nephew to gun violence, Markest Flowers who after leaving a restaurant was shoot to death in the face by a white man who was upset Markest was setting in the seat he sat in when coming to the restaurant, Marcus was 24 years old, he left behind a son.
Fort Lauderdale Community Center All Rights Reserved (c) ph 754-484-4229 Email: info@flccenter.org
Fort Lauderdale Community Center (FLCC) started in 2002, as IOG Community Youth Vocational Center in Stone Mountain, GA, teaching kids-at-risk a vocational skill in computer repair and terminology. The concept, have them take a working system apart then put it back together working! The system they put together they took home. We’ve since moved our headquarters to Fort Lauderdale, FL in 2009.
Since 2009, the Fort Lauderdale Community Center led by two unique individuals: William Gary Jr., Executive Director and L. Hope Gary, Chief Executive Officer. Together, they have implemented signature projects to ameliorate blighted neighborhoods and brought forth solutions to address the factors to improve the lives of children, youth and strengthen families in the Broward Municipal District (BMSD) of Ft Lauderdale, Florida.
No two people in Broward County have been more resolute in their beliefs than Hope and William Gary, who have dedicated their lives to achieving the dreams of young people and adults in our community of Ft Lauderdale, Florida. As a part of their legacy, we wish to further develop partnerships to annually support and endow programs in the FLCC’s core focus areas of : Education, Youth Empowerment, Training, Affordable Housing and Technology.
The Preston Andre Flowers Foundation was created after losing the founders nephew to gun violence on December 26, 2014. This funding is donated by the family to the organization for scholarships to those in need. He was born to Patrice Flowers and Wesley Godwin on February 2, 1974, in South Bend, Indiana. He grew up with his Aunts and Uncles who were more like brothers and sisters. Preston, named after his Great Uncle, Preston Glover, was fun-loving, had a laugh that was just contagious, very charismatic, quick-witted, and very smart. Making Valedictorian in the 6th grade and on the honor roll list each year he was in school. Like many young Black men he saw no place in mainstream society. He always felt he was too dark and didn’t have the “good hair,” so he made his own way and worked for himself as he pursued a music career and produced some young men he saw potential in making it big. With his clothes, he stayed sharp, had a tennis shoe collection with well over 300 pairs! He loved his family and his family loved him. He was “That Dude” if you needed a loan, to make it to the next payday, you could go to him and he would help you, he took care of his brother and sister as well as his Mother, Grandmother and Great-Grandmother, when ever they needed to call on him. He adored his children, nieces, nephews and cousins. He will never be replaced or forgotten. In 2015 the foundation was created.
In 2015 our founders lost another nephew to gun violence, Markest Flowers who after leaving a restaurant was shoot to death in the face by a white man who was upset Markest was setting in the seat he sat in when coming to the restaurant, Marcus was 24 years old, he left behind a son.
Fort Lauderdale Community Center All Rights Reserved (c) ph 754-484-4229 Email: info@flccenter.org