Showing Up

photo by shane darby

Recipient of the Red Shield Youth Leadership Award, 18-year-old Brandon Bowman credits the local Salvation Army for providing him and his sisters with a home—and a family
By Phoebe Warren

“Family is not who you’re related to. Family is who shows up when you need them most,” said Brandon Bowman, 18, the inaugural recipient of the Salvation Army Red Shield Youth Leadership Award, for both Texas and Arkansas. When Brandon and his sisters were taken in by the Salvation Army’s Center of Hope in Texarkana, they were carrying the weight of circumstances no children should have to navigate. What was to come, however, became a testament to the power of community. The people Brandon met through the Salvation Army became far more than staff members or volunteers. They became role models, and, in many ways, they became family. 

Captains Clara and Juan Gomez were among the first to congratulate Brandon after he won the inaugural Red Shield Youth Center Leader Award. submitted photo

Brandon moved to Texarkana with his mother and two younger sisters, Gabby and Renee, in 2022, where he enrolled in Arkansas High School as a freshman. “My family was very complicated in my childhood,” he said. His mother was not “very active” in her kids’ lives. “The Salvation Army became a part of my daily life,” Brandon said. “[On days without school] I’d wake up and go to [the Salvation Army’s] church. I would go to the after-school program [the Red Shield Youth Center]. They helped me and my sisters when we needed anything.”

Brandon regularly helped with children’s church during services and was asked to start leading after-school sessions at the Red Shield Youth Center. He completed the volunteer training and thrived in his newfound role. “Because of his presence, the kids paid more attention to the sessions since someone cool was running it,” Director Chasity Russell said. “Sometimes he will get on a soap box and tell the kids how they should act and set the example. It’s funny to watch.”

On December 17th, 2024, Brandon’s mother surrendered him and his siblings at the Center of Hope Shelter. DHS was notified. Chasity quickly intervened to keep all three children together and safe. “[My husband, Jason] got off work at 11 p.m., came home, saw how upset I was, and asked what was wrong,” Chasity said. Jason reassured her that they would go get the kids, and by 8:30 a.m. the following morning, the couple signed the paperwork to be their foster parents. Salvation Army Captains Juan and Clara Gomez were instrumental in ensuring the Russells had everything they needed, gathering support from the community for needed supplies and furniture. Four new mattresses were provided by Ashley Furniture. Local non-profit organization Just Love and Kindness provided linens, bedding, cookware, and other household essentials. Another local non-profit, The Pink Behind the Thin Blue Lines Confidence Closet, provided supplies as well. Furniture was donated by the Salvation Army’s Family Store.

Chasity Russell, the Red Shield Youth Center Club director and Brandon’s foster mom, congratulated him after he received the first scholarship from the annual Wacha Family All Sports Day event in 2025. submitted photo

When Captain Juan Gomez asked Brandon if he had been scared when being picked up by DHS, Brandon told him, “No, because I knew y’all would come get us.”

“The biggest influence in my life is Captain Juan Gomez,” Brandon said. “He stepped into my life when I felt like I had nothing. He showed me how to become a man, and the values that are important to me now, many of them I got from him. [Director and foster parent Chastity] has helped me so much—just overall making me a better person, teaching me how to be an adult, and she still helps me to this day. She takes care of me and my sisters, she makes us feel loved, anything that we could really need or want.” Brandon also named Jason Russell, as well as Captains Clara Gomez, Derek Smith, and Odessa Smith of the Salvation Army. “Those six people have had such a great impact on my life that I can attribute most of my success to them,” he said. “Those people are my rock, my sunshine, my foundation, and I love them very much.” 

Members of the Salvation Army Advisory Board prayed over Brandon for his continued safety and success at a recent board meeting. submitted photo

This year, the Salvation Army held statewide contests for the Salvation Army Red Shield Youth Leadership Award. Brandon was nominated from his club and won the Arkansas title by default, as the Texarkana center is the only affiliated club in Arkansas. However, he was allowed to compete against Texas applicants as well. The initial application consisted of an essay, resume, and cover letter. The three state finalists participated in live and video interviews, and they gave speeches in front of an entire assembly at the Dallas Salvation Army Headquarters. Brandon moved two of the three judges (as well as many audience members) to tears after being named the winner. He was awarded a $5,000 scholarship and a new laptop.

(This was not his first scholarship award; Brandon also received a scholarship from the annual Wacha Family All Sports Day event in 2025.)

Brandon, his sisters, and his foster parents enjoyed last year’s Pickle Fest in Texarkana. submitted photo

“Leadership means you are a servant—you serve the people first and you reward yourself later,” he said. “Leadership is the act of helping others get through or complete a job. Once you do, you get that sense of pride, because it’s not you that completed a job, it’s not you that did it. We did it. We completed this job. We did this task. We helped that person.” 

The Salvation Army of Texarkana Women’s Auxiliary members have encouraged and supported Brandon for the past several years. submitted photo

The Salvation Army is not the only downtown spot Brandon frequents: throughout high school, he worked at Berridge Bikes. 

“The first day that I moved to Texarkana, I walked two miles to the closest bike shop,” he said. He asked if he could do some work around the shop to earn a mountain bike, and owner Terry Berridge agreed. “Whenever I could, whenever I didn’t have school, whenever I didn’t have things to do at home, I would work at Berridge Bikes. Terry Berridge is an amazing boss, and [everyone] made me feel very welcome.” His hard work paid off tenfold—he earned the bike he wanted and remained employed at the shop for several years. In May, Berridge gifted him a brand-new bicycle as a graduation gift. “He has been [through] a lot these past couple of years, and we here at Berridge Bikes are very proud of him for getting [through] it all,” the store posted on Facebook.

Brandon and his family enjoy attending the football games at Arkansas High together as a family. submitted photo

Brandon talks about the Red Shield Youth Center not as a place where kids are sent to in order to stay out of trouble, but somewhere they can become better people and find a home away from home. “They’ve given me opportunities,” he said. “They have provided for me and my sisters, which has always been my biggest concern. They allowed me to live out the rest of my teen years as a kid.”

Now Brandon is ready to face the world as an adult, with unwavering optimism. A Junior ROTC cadet, he plans to enlist in the United States Air Force. He doesn’t worry about leaving his sisters, Gabby (16) and Renee (14), as they remain in the Russells’ care. No matter where life takes him, Brandon is positioned for success because he understands the value of community, leads by example, and consistently shows up for others.