Community Members Stepping Up To Give Youth Opportunities To Do Something Positive

LOUISVILLE, Miss. (WCBI)-Louisville has seen its share of violence among teenagers so far this year.

The viral video of juveniles beating up a 13-year-old is just the latest example.

Now, concerned residents are stepping up to bring about change.

Local pastors and community members are trying to implement new youth programs and re-open the city’s Boys And Girls Club.

Churches are also opening their gyms to allow kids to come in and play.

Residents expressed that it’s going to take the entire community to stop the violence.

“Within a year we had three young men to be murdered, and on top of that, the young men that were a part of it, they are in jail,” said Anthony McIntosh, Pastor at Bell M.B. Church. “We lost six young men, so this is something that really hurts our community, so we want to give another avenue for our children. It don’t have to be like this.”

McIntosh recently hosted a town hall meeting to address the violence and plans to host another one in the near future.