LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) – As Louisville continues to deal with violent crime involving youth, Councilman Ken Herndon is hoping a new program he’s created could help reduce the violence.
On Wednesday, he announced the District 4 Life Skills for Youth Initiative, which will support more 250 young adults in the district.
Herndon is appropriating $40,000 from the District 4 Neighborhood Development Funding to support 17 community programs.
The programs work with young people ages seven to 24 focusing on financial literacy, art, chess and entrepreneurship to name a few.
“Too often, young people aren’t considered when new initiatives receive funding,” Councilman Herndon said. “The funding I’m providing prioritizes trusted programs already serving District 4, including a new district-led four-team, four-neighborhood chess league.”
Herndon said the idea to for the initiative came following the shooting near a bus stop at 10th and W. Chestnut Streets in August that killed Redaja Williams.
Police are still looking for her killer.
Herndon said he wants to provide youth with programs to curb violence where youth walk away with a certificate or skill to use in the future.
One of those includes the cooking classes held by Blueprint 502, where student Adrian Hatcher is about to graduate.
Hatcher said he hopes to go on to get a degree in cooking in college, and he hopes others will look into the program.
“I’m not only leaving a legacy for myself but for others that come behind me, and that alone makes me feel like I’ve done something good for the community,” He said. “If you’re looking for a good opportunity to better yourself, to learn good skills, to meet good people, then Youth Build’s the place to be.”
The programs include:
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