Portraits: fol-016-02

Local pastor Curtis Harris, right, has opened his home to Brandon Gasper, center, who was released from Chesapeake Juvenile Service. Also pictured are Jazell Bodie, left, and Denya Dancy. Curtis Harris runs Original BROTHAS Outreach, a nonprofit that provides support and mentorship to young men, many of whom are involved in juvenile court. For many, Original BROTHAs (Brothers Reaching out to Help and Serve) is an alternative to prison when Newport News and Hampton courts allow it. The program provides tutoring, computer skills, life skills and group counseling, and Harris is on call practically 24/7 for crisis intervention.“Basically he’s the only father I ever knew and he could be my father and teach me how to be a man,” Gasper said.

Local pastor Curtis Harris, right, has opened his home to Brandon Gasper, center, who was released from Chesapeake Juvenile Service. Also pictured are Jazell Bodie, left, and Denya Dancy.

Curtis Harris runs Original BROTHAS Outreach, a nonprofit that provides support and mentorship to young men, many of whom are involved in juvenile court. For many, Original BROTHAs (Brothers Reaching out to Help and Serve) is an alternative to prison when Newport News and Hampton courts allow it. The program provides tutoring, computer skills, life skills and group counseling, and Harris is on call practically 24/7 for crisis intervention.

“Basically he’s the only father I ever knew and he could be my father and teach me how to be a man,” Gasper said.