SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WGGB/WSHM) – As the school year winds down, students are gearing up for a summer of fun and free time.
And considering recent youth arrests within the City of Springfield, Western Mass News is getting answers from a local non-profit on how they’re working to keep kids occupied, and out of trouble, this summer.
On Friday a 17-year-old boy was arrested on gun charges during a firearms investigation here in Springfield, something one local organization says they’re working on preventing this summer.
Tuesday, we stopped by the Darrell Lee Jenkins Jr. Resource Center on Dickinson Street and spoke with Program Director Mattea Christopher.
She told Western Mass News the resource center offers a summer program starting July 7th for the city’s youth, to keep kids busy and give them a safe space to enjoy while helping they stay away from violence: “The children don’t have to worry about any violence, they don’t have to worry about any problems… We work on doing activities were also going to be going to the museum, were going to go swimming, going to the movies, lot of summer activities.”
She told us the program provides kids with breakfast and lunch during the summer. The resource center also has a “backpack giveaway” at the end of summer, providing all the kids in the program with backpacks full of school supplies for the upcoming academic year.
Christopher said the resource center is accepting donations for the backpack program so if you’re interested in dropping off school supplies be sure to stop by.
Coming up later tonight on Western Mass News at 10:00 and 11:00, we’ll have more on the summer program and how residents can get involved to make a difference.
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