Russel’s Building Camp teamed up with Accent Coating, LLC to build a food pantry and classrooms for True Liberation Ministries Indy.

Tell us about Russell Building Camp’s Initiative.

Adrian Russell: Russell’s Building Camp is a local nonprofit organization that I started in 2020. Our mission is to introduce young people of all ages, particularly those from diverse and underrepresented communities to career opportunities and pathways in the building trades and construction industry.

Currently, we’re working with our second high school cohort, which has been an amazing experience. We’ve had the opportunity to expose high schoolers from all over Indianapolis—and even beyond—to life-changing, community-shaping opportunities in the construction industry. This cohort includes over 60 high schoolers representing more than 13 different schools, creating an incredibly diverse mix of awesome students from across the city.

As part of this cohort, we’ve also incorporated a service initiative. We encourage our students not only to strive for success but also to apply the skills they’re learning to improve their communities. We want this value of giving back to become a lasting part of their careers and their futures.

What was the process of leading the group to assist in building a food pantry and classrooms for a church?

Adrian Russell: We partnered with one of our organization’s supporters, Accent Coatings LLC, which is founded and led by a good friend of mine, Matt Richards. Accent Coatings is a commercial painting company that loves working with our students and supporting our program. Together, we came up with the idea to “paint it forward”—a fun spin on the phrase “pay it forward.”

To make this happen, we reached out to the local community through social media and asked for suggestions of organizations that could benefit from professional painting services. The response was incredible, and ultimately, we selected True Liberation Ministries, located on the east side of Indianapolis, just off 38th and Shadeland.

This initiative was an amazing opportunity for Accent Coatings to partner with our organization and work closely with our students. The students learned how to set up and manage a professional project from start to finish, engaging with the church leadership to assess their needs. True Liberation Ministries had recently acquired about 15,000 square feet of space and was working to establish a food pantry and classrooms to serve the local community. This project gave our students a chance to contribute to a meaningful cause while gaining valuable hands-on experience.

We took a team of 15 of our students, who worked alongside the pros from Accent Coatings last Saturday. They arrived early in the morning, in uniform, ready to dive into the project. Under the guidance of Accent Coatings’ foreman, they received an in-depth, crash-course experience in commercial painting—from prep to finish. They learned about different techniques, the importance of attention to detail, and even explored the well-paying career opportunities available in commercial painting.

The results were outstanding. The students completed the job flawlessly—no paint splatters on the windows, doors, or floors. It was a valuable and transformative experience for everyone involved. These are high school students, mind you, and they walked away feeling proud of their contribution. Their parents were equally proud, and the church was thrilled with the outcome.

What’s even more inspiring is that a smaller crew of students returned the following Saturday, not because they had to, but because they wanted to go above and beyond. They took it upon themselves to finish the remaining spaces, demonstrating an incredible work ethic and commitment.

This experience has been a testament to the power of partnership—between Russell’s Building Camp, Accent Coatings, and our broader mission. It reflects our unwavering commitment to empowering our students and serving our community. Truly, it’s been a transformative journey for everyone involved.

What type of impact did this project have on the youth?

Adrian Russell: This was also a great opportunity for our students to learn about the job opportunities that Accent Coatings is offering them this coming summer. Right now, all signs point to three of our students securing well-paying, full-time positions for the entire summer. These opportunities will allow them to continue honing their skills and further develop their expertise in commercial painting. So, it’s been pretty awesome!

Will there be another project coming up soon? And is it just for the young men, or can girls be a part of it too? Is there another project on the horizon?

Adrian Russell: We have certainly worked with young ladies on many occasions in the past. For this particular project, it wasn’t intentional that all the participants happened to be young men. However, we actively work with both young men and young women.

To answer the question about upcoming projects—if the community is interested, we’re always open to hearing about potential opportunities. If there’s a small-scale construction project, whether it’s painting or other minor construction needs, that could serve as a valuable hands-on experience for our young people, we’d love for the community to bring that to our attention.

The best way to reach us is by email. You already have my email, but for reference, you can contact us at [email protected]. We’d be happy to explore any opportunities that allow our students to make a positive impact in the community.