43
Youngstown officials, pastors coordinate efforts
YOUNGSTOWN
For the city’s initiative to give younger people an alternative to crime to succeed, it needs community support, said its coordinator.
With that in mind, William “Guy” Burney, who heads the city’s new Community Initiative to Reduce Violence (CIRV), along with other city officials, met Thursday with about 30 pastors to coordinate their efforts.
“We need to get [the pastors] on board with the initiative because they can motivate the community,” Burney said. “Engaging the community is the first part of our effort. In the next 60 days, we’ll also meet with social-service agencies and block watches.”
After building those relationships, Burney said the effort will identify issues not being properly addressed and implement programs to resolve those matters, and train people to serve as “peacekeepers.”
The goal is to show younger people, particularly those in high-crime areas, that there are other options besides breaking the law, he said.
Mayor Charles Sammarone said: “Government can’t do this by themselves. You have to have the involvement of the community. We have a problem, but with a team approach, we can move in the right direction.”
Those at Thursday’s meeting said they were excited about the program.
“We need to speak with the same voice to be effective,” said the Rev. Tarone Claybrook, executive director of Heart Reach Ministries, an inner-city faith-based children’s organization. “We have a poverty issue. We have a crime issue. We have a lack-of-training and job- opportunity issue.”
Pastor Lewis W. Macklin II of Holy Trinity Missionary Baptist Church said churches help with various programs including sports and tutoring.
“We have always been transforming agents, that has always been the call of the church to help empower people to live a life that is pleasing not only to God, but to others,” he said. “We want to get people to have different types of experiences so they can envision themselves where they want to be.”
Pastor Walter Hale of the Church of God said he is looking at volunteer programs where people skilled in areas such as plumbing, and heating and cooling can mentor young people looking to enter those trades.
“We want to get them there to [be] trained and be able to work in those areas,” he said. “They are willing to work together and help these young folks.”
Kevin M. Jackson, sports program director for the Mahoning County Juvenile Court, said CIRV is a “great program that will definitely work. Kids want something to do.”
Contributor: John W. Goodwin