Celebrating the Bryan Brothers and the Bryan Brothers Foundation

by Josh Poore

It’s been nearly 20 years since the passing of James M. “Jimmy” Bryan Jr., but his legacy and that of his brothers lives on through the Bryan Brothers “Building Dreams for Youth” Foundation.

A beloved member of the community, Jimmy was known for his generosity and his support of local youth programs. Often, you could see Jimmy or someone from the family business, Bryan and Sons, dragging a youth field so kids could play ball, laying wood chips so the local carnival could operate on dry ground after a hard rain, or helping a family in need around the holidays. Shortly after his passing in 2003, members of the Bryan family, along with family friend Jeff Weller, decided to commemorate

Jimmy and continue his sense of giving by creating the James M. Bryan Jr. “Building Dreams for Youth” Foundation. The foundation’s mission is to help ensure that all children on the Eastern Shore have the opportunity to experience personal growth through participation in youth sports, recreation and development programs. This is what Jimmy would have wanted.

The foundation’s early years saw tremendous support from Jimmy’s friends, family, business partners and acquaintances, and this allowed the board of directors to provide almost $500,000 in grants to local youth programs while establishing an endowment account to ensure children have unique opportunities for years to come.