LYNN — A group of Lynn teens who are part of the Shannon Grant program for troubled youth made 150 gift bags and distributed them to My Brother’s Table on Thursday.
The Shannon Community Safety Initiative Grant, named for State Sen. Charles E. Shannon Jr., aims to reduce gang violence across Massachusetts.
This group of 12 teenagers between the ages of 14 and 17 were brought together under the auspices of the Shannon Grant, initially as part of a summer jobs program. They all wear T shirts from the grant money that say “Clean Streets, Clean Lives,” as an indication that they are serious about turning their lives around.
Part of the teens’ obligations was to do a civic engagement.
“They’re the ones who came up with the idea of feeding the homeless,” said Antonio Gutierrez, a local street advocate who works through the court system.
“So they had to go out to businesses and ask for donations,” said Gutierrez. “They put boxes in the lobbies of both courthouses in Lynn (the juvenile court on Central Ave., and the district courthouse on Essex Street). They got enough to make 150 bags of gifts.”
Among the items in the bag were items of necessity such as socks, hats, toothbrushes and toothpaste.
The grant, said Gutiérrez, aims to help troubled teens with after-school programs, summer jobs and “an array of stuff.
“Something like this is a sign of success for the Shannon collaborative,” Gutierrez said. “It teaches kids to give back to the community. This was the kids’ idea totally. Not the collaborative’s.”
