“Hampton Roads Community Scholarship Day”

Thank you to Mayor Dyer for proclaiming August 9, 2025…

“Hampton Roads Community Scholarship Day”

Proclamation presented to The Brickers Foundation on 8-9-2025

Foundation Scholarship Run and Walk

Thank you to all of those who came out to our Scholarship Run & Walk

Event Remarks from our Founder:

“Just want to say thank you to everyone for coming out.. The Foundation was started from a passion for wanting to help people.  I didn’t know how or what this would be, but I just always had a thing for service.  Like me, we all have different passions, agendas, etc, but I do think what binds us together is the power of community. It's hard to get anything accomplished by ourselves.  When we go to the store, we rely on someone to put the food on the shelves so we can buy it.  When we realize the power of community and start working together, it’s incredible how much can get done.   To put this event on, I relied heavily on this community, and people came through.. I can’t thank Tallwood High School enough for hosting us.. I went to school here, and played on this very field.. I wish the field looked like this when I played, but this was great to put this event on at a place where I started to find my way.  I want to thank a few people who helped to make this happen. 

First, I want to acknowledge Councilman Jackson-Green, who represents this district, for being in attendance.  Thank you so much for coming and sharing this event with us. I also want to thank Mayor Bobby Dyer of Virginia Beach and his office for their kindness and support. Bounce Hoppers in Virginia Beach for donating the games that you see here.  I had this crazy thought that maybe people don’t want to just run and walk for 2 hours.  I called around, and while others weren’t willing to donate, Scott of Bounce Hoppers did.  I kept calling back asking for more things, and he was an instant yes every time.  I want to thank Wendy Baylor, Activities Coordinator of Tallwood High School, who put up with me.  I called a lot, just trying to be perfect and worrisome at the same time, lol.  I know I bugged her to death, yet she always responded.  Thank you to the Tallwood Track team for being here and serving the concessions, along with the track coach here, Joe Strangis, and Coach Zamel Johnson, for being so accommodating. Thank you to Carol Cooke, who serves as our Executive Coordinator with the Foundation.  She thought of this event and thought it would be cool to do it since I like running.  She doesn’t like running too much, but thought maybe others might, so we wanted to extend that out to the community to bring people together. I want to thank members of my family who I also bugged and remained there for me to bounce my crazy ideas off of.  Last but not least, I want to thank all of you for coming out and sharing in our cause of making education possible for bright young people of Hampton Roads.  Thank you for every donation that contributes to someone’s future. I hope that this event could bring together people you haven’t seen in a while, rekindle or mend relationships, or establish new connections that could benefit each other.  Let's remember the power of community.  Thanks again, and let’s do this again soon.”

Virginia Beach City Mayor Dyer Proclamation - August 9th 2025 “Hampton Roads Community Scholarship Day”

Meet Carolyn

Meet Carolyn

As Executive Coordinator at the Brickers Foundation, Carolyn brings passion and purpose to every initiative. Inspired by a deep interest in coaching and collaborating with others to build stronger communities, Carolyn helped shape the Foundation’s early success through event creation, volunteer training, and strategic outreach.

Her work includes streamlining internal initiatives, leading advertising efforts, and forging new partnerships with sponsors and fellow nonprofits—all with the goal of amplifying impact and fostering meaningful connections. Whether guiding volunteers or working alongside team members, Carolyn remains committed to creating spaces where collaboration drives change.

Her contributions leave a lasting mark, and we’re deeply grateful for the passion and care she brings to our mission. Thank you, Carolyn, for everything—you’ll always be part of the Brickers Foundation story.

TV Interview with WVEC Channel 13 News

Ericson speaks with Ashley Smith of WVEC Channel 13 News about our Hampton Roads Community Scholarship and community physical and financial wellness.

Radio Interview with Audacy

Founder, Ericson Brickers recently had the honor of sharing our Foundation mission and Scholarship Run & Walk event with Hampton Roads radio.

Candidate for At-Large National Delegate

Candidate for National Delegate of Virginia

The great Dr. Martin Luther King said that “it is always the right time, to do the right thing”. At this time, I’m running to be elected as a National Delegate and represent the state of Virginia at the 2024 Democratic National Convention (DNC).

National delegates represent their state or community at their party’s presidential nominating convention - in this case the DNC. Delegates then choose a Presidential candidate to represent the national party in the November general election. Delegates get to cast a vote for the Presidential candidate that they support and the vote will determine the party’s official candidate for President of the United States of America.

I’d like to represent Virginia as a national delegate because I believe I represent a lot of what Virginia is all about. As a proud Virginian resident, I’ve called Virginia my home my entire life, and have seen up close how hard working Virginians are. Through hard work of my own, I have been able to obtain 2 master degrees, graduate from the University of Virginia, and obtain steady employment as a leader in Information Technology. I have been blessed beyond measure to have met many personal milestones that I have always dreamed about. Even with that, one of my proudest achievements was launching a non-profit, geared to giving back to the community and enriching the lives of others. I started The Brickers Foundation, while working full-time, because of the passion I have to help others and to be impactful. Having volunteered in some capacity at various stages in my life, the core of me is to provide service. This is why having a Foundation that represents not just me, but much of what I believe is needed to make things better, so important.

Although it’s ‘always’ the right time to do the right things, I often say you never have to wait to do the right thing either. I’m running for national delegate because I want to be an example for others in my state, age group, demographic, different or alike, that we can make an impact where we are, no matter what stage in life we are in. As we have a very important election coming up, it’s important that we all do our part. What makes America great is that a person can come from any background and have a say about the direction of the country. That’s great privilege that we shouldn’t take lightly, but also should take full advantage of. I’m asking for your vote to attend the DNC as a national delegate so that I can represent Virginia with the highest integrity and humility, with hopes that I can greatly impact our country for the better.

Meet Laurene

Meet Laurene

Hi! I'm Laurene Craig. I live in the Piedmont region of Virginia with my husband, two kids, and fur-babies. I recently graduated college after a long break, and I'm excited to work with The Brickers Foundation as a graphic designer with an outstanding team of professionals.

After spending a year in isolation during the 2020 pandemic, I wanted to try to make a difference in our community. I jumped at the chance to work with Eric and help him with his mission of making a positive impact in surrounding communities. Not only do I get to work with some amazing people, but I also have the opportunity to pay forward the generosity of others who helped me when I needed a helping hand.

Board Member - Judy Harrison

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Judy Harrison, Senior Vice President, Enterprise Transformation Office, Navy Federal Credit Union, to our Board of Directors.

Ms. Harrison is at the forefront of the world’s largest credit union’s digital transformation. The Enterprise Transformation Office leads the realization of Navy Federal’s strategic transformation – taking a “center of excellence” approach for delivering enterprise capabilities including competencies, methodologies and standards.

Ms. Harrison’s leadership approach is heavily influenced from time served on active and reserve duty with the U.S. Army. She holds a business degree from Columbia Union College. Judy is married and the mother of two daughters. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with family, walking and traveling.

We are thankful to have her apart of our mission.

Meet Kylie

Meet Kylie

My name is Kylie Silva and I am proud to be working with The Brickers Foundation. I am a high school student and a very active in my local community. I got involved with the Foundation in search of volunteer opportunities that would allow me to continue to be active, but rather in a virtual setting. The Brickers Foundation was perfect for me to do just that! Within the Foundation I have the role of acting as a Research Coordinator who helps to organize where our funds and volunteers should be allocated.

Being a part of such a welcoming team, that works to better society, makes being a part of The Brickers Foundation so exciting!

Meet Laksha

Meet Laksha

As a Sophomore in high school, social media is a big part of Laksha’s life. She wanted to do something that would use her skills to the fullest. When she found an opportunity to be a copywriter for a nonprofit organization, she was ecstatic.

The Brickers Foundation has a mission that personally stuck with her. Laksha loved the idea of using social media to promote the work of a volunteer organization. With social media being so prevalent in our everyday lives, using our opportunity to connect with others: about the work we do is awesome!

Meet Hania

Meet Hania

Hey!

This is Hania—I’m the copy editor. Just wanted to say a little bit about why I’m working with The Brickers Foundation and why I think our mission is worthwhile.

During college, I noticed that there were several organizations around campus that appeared to serve the same functions. I always wondered why so many different groups tried to do the same things instead of pooling their resources together. 

This same idea applies to charities and nonprofits. I believe that working with a supportive network allows each organization to maximize its impact.

I also believe that The Brickers Foundation can play a key role in forming that network and offering support to groups engaged with important causes. By connecting donors with nonprofits, we can help these nonprofits pour more of their energy and resources into their work rather than fundraising. Additionally, the Foundation aims to raise awareness of different organizations’ work within certain areas to encourage collaboration and a sense of community within their activism.

The Power of Teamwork

The saying is it takes a village.  Those words could not be truer than when it comes to establishing a charitable foundation.  The Brickers Foundation has seen tremendous growth since we started in 2019; however, in order to fulfill our goals, there is more work for us to do, with more help needed to carry out our mission.

Below is a brief rundown of the member opportunities we currently have available.  Each role serves as an important part of who we are as a Foundation and how we serve.

• Volunteer Coordinator - coordinators our volunteer efforts with partner needs

• Finance - manages Foundation budget and fund reconciliation

• Administration - points of contact for Foundation business

• Copywriter - provides strategy and recommendation for all public facing content

• Donor Outreach - works with our sponsors and potential sponsors to obtain and grow Foundation resources

We have tremendous members who are great in carrying out our Foundation mission and vision.

Meet Angela

As a former advertising and marketing executive, during the pandemic, Angela sought a volunteer role and came to The Brickers Foundation where she provides content and helps with strategy.  She was drawn to the organization’s mission and the passion of its volunteers. More than ever, there is disparity and a need in our communities. For Angela, working with The Brickers Foundation has been extremely rewarding and she is pleased to connect with an organization dedicated to strengthening people and communities through partnership.

To keep up with what we are doing, continue to follow us on our website or any of our social media pages.  For any questions or if you find a role of interest, fill out our Foundation member request form and someone will get back to you quickly. 

Come be a part of what we are doing!

A New Season of Giving

2020 Lead Right Scholarship Recipients

Spring is upon us and with it, a renewed sense of beginning.  At The Brickers Foundation, we are proud to partner with other organizations dedicated to bringing new hope to people in need.  

An important part of our aid to our charities comes from corporate sponsorship. These donations enable us to continue to build up communities by providing grants, scholarships, volunteers and other resources to a variety of our charity projects. Now more than ever, it’s important that we continue to receive and strengthen our appeal for corporate sponsorship in order to carry on our mission. 

Recently, Walmart awarded us a grant which provided seed money to help launch The Brickers Foundation in our community. We are deeply appreciative of Walmart’s support.  The funds were given directly from the Walmart facility in our area, as part of their effort to support local organizations across the U.S. In securing the grant, The Brickers Foundation met Walmart’s selection criteria, based on the value of our reputation and the initiatives we pursue.

We also appreciate the corporate support we received from Eventhogs, a company engaged in the social media space.  Their support aided Achievement Square Development and Training Center Inc. in their initial kickoff of the ‘Lead Right’ Scholarship.  The Lead Right Scholarship is an academic scholarship awarded to students in need who are underrepresented, low-income, first generation college attendees.

Beyond our appeal for corporate sponsorship, however, is our ongoing outreach for beneficiaries we can support. We look to collaborate with partner organizations and individuals with missions aligned to our initiatives. Please visit our website and let us know how we can help you or your organization in our mission to combat disparity and increase community improvement.  

We look forward to continued opportunities for corporate sponsorship, and hearing from you as to how we can make a positive difference this Spring. 

Birth of a Foundation

Growing up, my parents made sure that I was heavily involved in the community.  I played saxophone and clarinet in the band, participated in recreation sports in the neighborhood, attended the local boys and girl club, served in cub scouts, along with other activities.  Though I wasn’t aware of it at the time, this sparked in me a passion for remaining involved and doing things that were beyond myself. Working with others and being a team player is what I enjoy and tend to be good at. I always took pride in volunteering and stepping in where there appeared to be a void.  

Carrying on with this same passion, The Brickers Foundation is a direct representation of the good that is in our communities.  I really believe that good things happen when we begin to work together, thus multiplying our combined resources.  

The Brickers Foundation was formed as a calling to serve the community.  Our goal is to partner with mission driven organizations and ensure that they have the resources needed to be successful. 

Because we recognize that there are great organizations already in existence, the Foundation’s purpose is to highlight their great work and to partner with them to ensure they remain great.  The end result is that not only are the organizations successful, but ultimately the end audience in need will be just as successful.

For what we do, my hope is that The Brickers Foundation continues to be viewed as an example of how working together can produce great outcomes.