lune 8, 2011
43ortlauh (Obstruer
Page 17
Unity in the Community Confronts Gangs
Adult volunteers develop action plan for at-risk youth
C ari H achmann
T he P ortland O bserver
by
Reaching out to curb the erup
tion of gang violence, local pastors
and volunteers from the church
community have unfolded a new
effort to make themselves present
to at-risk youth with a four step
action plan: Be there, care, share
and prayer.
“Gang members are no less hu
man, they cling to a sense of family
and b e lo n g in g ,” says R obert
Richardson who runs a transitional
program at Em m anuel Tem ple
Church for former gang members
and parolees returning home from
prison.
Richardson, as part of a larger
community effort called “Unity in
the Community,” recognizes the
need to make a visible adult pres
ence in the lives of at-risk youth,
especially in places where gang-
activity is most likely to occur.
Launched by pastors of several
P hoto by C ari H achmann /T he P ortland O bserver
churches, the group hopes to de Robert Richardson, program director at Emmanuel Community
velop a better physical and emo Services in north Portland, is a volunteer for Unity in the Commu
tional bond with at-risk youth.
nity, an anti-gang outreach by adults to reach at-risk youth.
The first action plan calls for a
visible presence at high-risk areas
by mobilizing 100 volunteers who
would each commit to foot patrol 45
minutes each week for a year.
The group has started patrols at
Holladay Park, the location where
14-teen-year old Shiloh Hampton
was shot and killed, making attempts
to interrupt gang activity and en
gage with youth in a positive way.
The second step in the effort
aims at having a more connected
presence with youth by providing
one-on-one m entorships. Third,
brings the development of counsel
ing and family support actions, and
finally, prayer for the community.
“Young people, I think are mis
understood,” said PastorC.T. Wells
of Emmanuel Temple and a leader of
Unity in the Community. Wells said
when there is no communication
with youth they become further
separated and disenfranchised from
the core of society.
In a vacuum of insecurity and
uncertainty, new gang recruits find
themselves drawn to gangs when
there is no stronger system to deter
them, said Richardson.
As law enforcement makes it
tougher for kids with guns to oper
ate on the street, the gang outreach
and church community members
hope they can do their part to pre
vent further violence from destroy
ing lives, young and old.
Unity in the Community invites
local residents and potential volun
teers to their first meeting on Friday,
June 10 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Life
Change Christian Center, 3635 N.
Williams Ave.
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