Local program aims to deter teens from crime through paid outdoor work
ST LOUIS MO April 18 2021 Mayor-elect Tishaura Jones announced new leadership for the city’s public safety division on Thursday, declaring gun violence a public health crisis. A local program aims to deter young people from crime with a unique approach.
Founders of Building Futures, a North City non-profit, said their program takes an unconventional approached to deterring teens from crime.
“Hiring high school students to build playgrounds and benches,” said Frank Lorberbaum, CEO Building Futures. “We’ll actually pay the young people to work.”
The organization – working with Alderman Brandon Bosley – are forming a program that’ll pay high school teens to construct colorful benches and playground equipment for North City neighborhoods. They’re hoping to launch the program by summer 2021 with help from donations.
“The entire community is getting ready to go through a change,” Bosley said. He said with recent headlines of teens committing car jackings, robberies, and shootings – a nontraditional approach to reaching these teens is needed.
“The people who are stealing cars right now, they are not 33 and 40 years old. These are children, they are trying to find something to do with their time,” Bosley said.
Bosley said they are trying to raise $100,000 to pay for supplies and funds to pay the teens. You can click here to donate.
KMOV.com
