Waiting around for things to happen is not exactly Alicia Edwards' style.
When Building Community Bridges started in 2017, Douglas Wright III and Edwards, along with one other person, simply decided to go for it.
"We just started," Edwards said. "All the things that we had seen that were needed in the community, we just started doing them. With no money, no funding, grassroots, and then the infrastructure started building afterwards."
Edwards is now executive director of BCB, but don't let the title fool you. There's no salary attached, as everyone at BCB is volunteering their time and work, she said.
Edwards received the Fisher Family Good Samaritan Award on Saturday. Redemption Inside the Walls and News Tribune partnered for the second year to select five "good Samaritans" who have gone above and beyond to help the Mid-Missouri area.
Following the 2019 tornado, Edwards coordinated tornado relief efforts at BCB, which became a central hub for Jefferson City. She called it a "monumental point" for BCB, when many in the community first became aware of the organization. As executive director at BCB, she has worked with Lincoln University graduates and current students, as well as community leaders, to implement programs that encourage youth involvement and help community youth find their passions.
"I love what I do," Edwards said. "I think that this is part of my purpose in life."
BCB provides weekly classes free to those ages 17 and younger, including dance, boxing, tutoring, mentoring, fashion and modeling, sewing, photography, videography and music. It also hosts a food pantry twice a week.
Edwards said the goal is to help people find the best way to give back, noting that she would encourage anyone who wants to give back but isn't sure how to visit BCB at 213 E. Ashley St. From there, Edwards or other volunteers will help find the best way to use a person's talents and skills to benefit others.
Helping and caring for others is something that comes naturally, Edwards said, noting her background as a foster child who often cared for her siblings and others.
"This whole community center thing is something that I was already designed to do, so it happens naturally," Edwards said. "It makes me feel fulfilled."
Moving forward, Edwards said she hopes to help bridge gaps between different area groups that may have similar plans and goals, but haven't coordinated or made substantial efforts to bring the plans to fruition. By having different neighborhood associations and other local groups work together, the community can achieve so much more faster, she said.
Edwards said she'd love to see BCB become a state-of-the-art facility, and is able to do more projects like converting the former Family Dollar location on Jefferson Street or the former Break Time location on Clark Avenue into a needed grocery store, while adding onto these buildings with sections for things like an internet cafe or a day care facility.
Edwards said, after she was nominated, she knew some people would vote for her based on familiarity, but she did not expect to make the final five winners. She said she wanted to thank the community for allowing her the chance to fulfill her goal of supporting others.
"I didn't expect to make the final cut," Edwards said. "I appreciate being able to give back to the community that's given me so much."
The other four Fisher Family Good Samaritan Award recipients are: Connie Cashion, Chris Jarboe, Bill Graham and Jeff Brondel.