In Moore County, stories of impact often start quietly through a genuine desire to make a difference. For Deon Allbrooks, that story has been decades in the making.
Allbrooks, director of operations for the Boys & Girls Club of the Sandhills, has spent nearly his entire adult life pouring into young people.
“I’ve been with the Boys & Girls Club as a whole going on 26 years,” he said. “And I’ve been here in the Sandhills since 2014.”
This isn’t just a job for Allbrooks; it’s a mission rooted in his own childhood. Growing up in Moore County before the Sandhills Boys & Girls Club, opportunities for kids were limited.
“All I was privileged to, at that particular time, was a Cub Scout group,” Allbrooks explained.
Through his leadership, local kids have experienced things many never imagined, such as trips to professional sporting events, job training opportunities, and exposure to career paths that once felt out of reach. But ask Allbrooks what matters most, it’s not the trips or programs, it’s the relationships.
“The most rewarding thing is to have kids that have come, and then come back after they’ve aged out,” he said. “They’re married, they’ve got kids, and they’re saying, ‘This is the man who changed my life.'”
It’s those full-circle moments that fuel him every day.
“When I wake up in the morning after I say, ‘Lord, thank you for another day,’ the next thing I say is, ‘Whose life am I going to change today?'” Allbrooks said. “‘Who am I going to reach, who am I going to impact?'”
That mindset has carried him through challenges, including moments of self-doubt. “Feeling inadequate, like I didn’t have the ability to change anybody,” Allbrooks admitted.
But instead of letting that stop him, he leaned in.
“I pressed the gas on my own life,” he said. “It helped change my trajectory to where my life became a testimony for others.”
One story, in particular, stands out.
A young man named Jeremy came to the club unsure of his future. With guidance from Allbrooks, he chose to join the Army. Years later, Jeremy returned, this time in uniform.
“He stood in the middle of the floor, and when I looked up, he saluted me,” Allbrooks recalled. “He said, ‘My salute to you is to honor the man who changed my life.'”
“I started crying,” Allbrooks added. “He told me, ‘I am who I am today because of you.'”
For Allbrooks, that’s what it’s all about: impact that lasts far beyond the walls of the club. Looking ahead, his vision is simple: expand access. He believes every kid deserves the opportunity to experience the Boys & Girls Club, no matter where they live or what they can afford.
Allbrooks is a husband and father of four, but his influence stretches far beyond that, reaching countless lives across the Sandhills.
When asked what he hopes to be remembered for, his answer is simple. “Creating opportunities for young people to be successful in life.”
And it’s clear that legacy is already being built. One life at a time.
One thing Allbrooks lives by and makes sure to share with everyone he can: “Because God is the greatest power, we are never defeated.”
If you have someone you would like to nominate for our Meet Moore People segment, email [email protected].
Feature photo: Boys & Girls Club of the Sandhills Director of Operations Deon Allbrooks. Photo contributed.
Curtis Self | Reporter
Article by Sandhills Sentinel reporter Curtis Self. Curtis has been writing for Sandhills Sentinel since 2019.
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