Mark & Anthony’s Story

Anthony, like so many other Advance Memphis graduates, has walked through difficult struggles and worked extremely hard to maintain a job in an under-resourced community. But what’s even more encouraging is that he hasn’t walked his journey alone. 

At the same time that Anthony was looking for employment after serving time in prison, Mark Brommer was looking for a way to serve God and others with his time in retirement. As the Lord would have it, Mark was chosen to be Anthony’s Ally for our January 2022 Work Life class and then again in May of 2022 for the Faith & Finances class.

“I’m grateful to call Anthony my friend. I first met him in my Work Life group. We didn’t lose touch, so then I volunteered in Faith & Finances and we had a chance to ride together to and from class, which gave me time to really get to know him and encourage him,” said Mark. “I also added Anthony to our church’s Wednesday evening prayer list about a year ago when we met, and we’ve been praying for his salvation every week.”

Anthony’s journey since graduating hasn’t always been easy, but it is evident how God has worked through every struggle and allowed Mark the opportunity to walk alongside him. After a year of prayer, Anthony recently committed his life to Christ! Since he made a profession of faith, he has gotten a new job and is now finding ways to give back. You will often find Anthony serving meals with Mark at Calvary Rescue Mission, as well as serving other Work Life students at Advance Memphis.

“When I got done with my classes at Advance, I started helping out by volunteering and trying to give back what I was given. If there's a chance for me to do a good deed, then I want to do it to the best of my ability,” said Anthony. 

The relationship between these two men is a picture of the amazing impact a volunteer and student can have on one another (see our core value of reciprocal learning). We believe lasting life change happens in the context of community, and that's why we deeply value our team of volunteers who are committed to loving and learning with our neighbors in South Memphis. These connections produce growth in everyone involved. Click here to learn more about our volunteer opportunities!