Our History
Our History
In January of 1993, a group of Orange County men met with the intention of forming a local Chapter of the 100 Black Men of America. These men had already recognized that the 100 Black men of America was one the most influential organizations in the nation and could bring a fresh and much needed mechanism to the African American community of Orange County.
In April 1993, the 100 Black Men of Orange County became incorporated as a certified 501(c)3 non-profit organization. In June of the same year, we received our charter from the national 100 Black Men organization. The original 28 members were led by the founding president, Mr. Eugene Wheeler.
Today, the 100 BMOC is comprised of more than 35 members who are committed to service in the areas of education, mentoring, economic development and empowerment and health and wellness.
The 100 BMOC strive to empower the African American community by providing focused, effective, and participatory leadership that improves public policy and enhances the overall education, quality of life, social and economic status of underrepresented groups in our communities. We are committed to enhance the educational opportunities for African American youth in all our communities. It is an organization committed to developing and strengthening a partnership among home, school, and community of young African American males with the objective of ensuring that each element of the partnership work together in the best interest of all African American males.
Moreover, the 100BMOC firmly believes that a strengthened partnership among home, school, and community will result in an enriched Orange County. The chapter focuses on four initiatives, (Four for The Future), which include Education, Mentoring, Health and Wellness and Economic Empowerment. Our signature program, "Passport to the Future" is based on an educational and cultural foundation where core areas of mastery are combined with group mentoring experiences to form our intervention with high school age youth. The education program has been renamed the Bakari Project and is set up to collect measurable data on the efficacy of our intervention.
Other programs/projects include a Scholarship Fundraising Golf Tournament, Health and Wellness Cultural Faire, Financial literacy and an Annual Gala showcasing the youth we mentor, providing an opportunity for our corporate sponsors and community members to see the impact of their investment in our programs.
