LYNCHBURG (WSLS 10) - Members of Self Help Obtaining Positive Outcomes, SHOPO, are bringing the community together to reduce violence in the Hill City.
People who live in the Greenfield James Crossing apartments said there are not a lot activity for the children, so instead of learning, it's easy for them to get into trouble.
"If they don't have football practice, they running around here seeing what the adults doing and they're pretty much trying to do what they're doing," said Traves Wesley, who lives in the James Crossing Apartment Complex.
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Wesley said he's glad SHOPO is coming to empower the community by having an open dialogue about responsibilities, like getting a career.
"It's real important because if you have a job, you're kind of setting the example, from dedication to responsibility to the teach the kids something," continued Wesley.
Members and alumni from different high schools are going to three neighborhoods, including Greenfield James Crossing, to also talk about getting an education, how to overcome poverty and incorporating better parenting skills.
The overall goal is to curb violence in the Hill City. In October 2014, Lynchburg police said they received about 60 calls for assaults, 163 calls for disorderly conduct and 40 for juvenile nuisances.
"I'm going to continue to fight, we will continue to fight, as a city as a community to make sure proactively that this doesn't happen," said B.B. Shavers, with SHOPO.