Five years ago, a program was brought to Dunbar that has been quietly shaping the lives of young men. 

MADE, Motivated All Day Everyday, is a violence prevention group for young boys led by PLD staff member Steve Duerson and community leader Logan Avritt (who created the program). 

“You don’t find many people in the community that create their own program, that want to work with male teenagers, and then bring that into a school setting,” said Duerson. 

Avritt felt inspired to help the community from his own childhood growing up around gang violence. 

“I came from that world, unfortunately, and I know the dangers,” he said. “I feel like [I survived] for a purpose, and I believe the purpose was to help save as many young men and women as I can.”

The program takes place every Thursday morning with discussions, guest speakers, assignments, all to prepare members to find jobs and sometimes even take them out to cities in other states. 

Avritt said he thinks that providing kids with a safe space to express themselves is key to violence prevention. 

“It’s just love on the babies, and I think they don’t get enough of that,” he said. 

“And when they are properly loved, they will excel in life, and they’ll probably love on other people as well.”

MADE is now run at 13 different schools in Lexington and welcomes any young males at Dunbar who would like to be part of this community.