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Increase the Peace rallies send message in high-crime areas
By LINDA M. LINONIS
YOUNGSTOWN
Pastor Al Yanno believes the Increase the Peace Rallies “are as much as a process as a program.”
The minister with NOW Youngstown said by that he means the summer rallies, which will begin Tuesday, have fostered cooperation and camaraderie among churches.
“People and churches are being brought together,” he said. “The cooperation is more than a single effort, it’s a movement.”
Pastor Yanno of Metro Assembly of God, along with Pastors Rafael Cruz of Unity Baptist Church in Boardman and Pastor Rolando Rojas of Spanish Evangelical Church collaborated four years ago to form NOW Youngstown. Pastor Rojas has said that the ministers understand street mentality because they were once a part of it. “God made a difference in our lives,” he said.
The three continue to work on the project, which now involves Youngstown’s Community Initiative to Reduce Violence coordinated by Guy Burney. The rallies take place in high-crime areas during the summer when violence often escalates. “The rallies send a message. They spotlight a positive event,” he said. “Those doing a negative activity see the spotlight will be turned on them.”
Burney said, “There has been an overall decrease in crime. We track the number of violent crimes.”
Pastor Yanno said the unified effort is making a difference. There are now 17 city and suburban churches involved in the rallies.
“We want to ramp up our effort. The goal this year is to do better involving what I call wraparound services,” he said. “These are services that agencies provide that people need but don’t access. We want to show them what’s available and how they can get help.”
Among nonprofit organizations that will offer information and resources at the rallies will be Teen Challenge, Pregancy Help Center, Headstart, MYCAP (Mahoning-Youngstown Community Action Partnership), Heart Reach Ministries, and Eastern Gateway Community Colleges. Job and Family Services, new to the rallies, also will participate. Burney said there also will be a police presence at the rallies with members of the new community police initiative.
“With information on resources available, this helps people do better in their lives,” Burney said.
The Increase the Peace Rallies have an average attendance of about 200, with people coming and going during the time frame. But, some events have attracted as many as 500 participants.
Support by local churches and community partners provide funding and donations for the rallies that offer free food, entertainment and games.
The rallies are a threefold effort, Pastor Yanno said. They involve law enforcement, social-service agencies and the faith-based component. NOW Youngstown isn’t based on an acronym but part of a passage from 2 Corinthians 6:2, “Now is the time of God’s favor. Now is the day of salvation.”