WORCESTER – In the wake of a teenager’s fatal shooting last week in Worcester, a nonprofit is working to give other teens in the Massachusetts city hope.
Helping others in Worcester
At the Salvation Army Center in Worcester, teens are learning important lessons both on and off the court. They’re part of an organization called CHEER, which stands for Cultural Healthy Eating Exercise Resource program. It was founded by Echo Louissaint two years ago to help quell some of the teen violence taking place throughout the city.
“It’s sad, it’s tragic, programs like mine are definitely needed,” said Louissaint. “We need support from the city, we need funding.”
“I’ve seen a lot of violence and there’s also the fact that one in seven families don’t even know where their next meal is coming from,” said 16-year-old Darien Daniels, who’s been coming to CHEER for the past year. “It’s pretty much just helped me become, like a leader. It’s helped me get in depth with my community.”