MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The City of Memphis is teaming up with local churches to help kids have a safe summer.
School is out for the summer for students across Memphis and some community members worry some kids may engage in the wrong activities.
To keep kids preoccupied, Mayor Strickland has presented his Safe Summer Program in collaboration with local churches.
Mayor Strickland said the following is in his most recent weekly update:
In the last several years, there has been a significant increase in juvenile gun crime in Memphis, but Shelby County Juvenile Court lacks sufficient funding to intervene with the large volume of at-risk teens. Those teens and their families need immediate, intense intervention, counseling and assistance.
Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland
Every Friday evening in June and July, kids are invited to go to churches in various communities to take part in supervised activities.
“We all have to do stuff to make these kids see that crime, stealing and killing is not the thing,” community member Kamaria Hubert said. “They need activities for the children for them to have something to do.”
During the weekly programs, the kids will have the chance to play different sports and games, eat food, and even battle it out on the dance floor.
One of the churches expected to participate is Norris Avenue Missionary Baptist church in South Memphis.
Hubert lives in the South Memphis community and says the program is much needed.
“We need to be positive role models to our kids so they can grow up and be kings and queens in this world,” Hubert said.
The Safe Summer Program kicks off this Friday at 6 p.m.
