Mentoring Program In Southwest Philadelphia Aims To End Violence
By Kim Glovas
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A special event was set to place Saturday at the Myers Rec Center in Southwest Philadelphia. Men and women were invited to attend a how-to mentor program, which came just a week after two men were gunned down in that neighborhood.
The mentoring project was spearheaded by Tracey L. Fisher, the founder of Gateway to Re-Entry, a program to create opportunities for those re-entering society from prison, and help prevent young people from heading down the wrong path. Fisher says many young people in that area don't believe they are loved, at all.
"They really don't believe, and they definitely don't believe somebody loves them that they don't know," he says "So, this is what it is, it's about developing a relationship with the community, and you bvelieve me, if we had a relationship with the community, like we're supposed to have, like I'm attempting to have, those shootings last weekend would never have happened."
Fisher, who spent 20 years in prison on drug charges, feels this is his mission, to help young people avoid what happened to him.
In two weeks, the mentors will be presented to their young protégé, and the young men and women will pick their own mentor from the group.