LYNCHBURG, Va. – A Lynchburg anti-violence nonprofit group, Peacemakers, officially opened the doors to its new conflict resolution building on Tuesday.
“See a whole lot of us come from homes that we have not been guided to and then you wonder why we see these vicious acts going on in the streets. It’s what you produce inside the house. What are they consuming, what are they looking at, and what are they listening to? So, these are unmet social needs, this is not a police remedy,” Shawn Hunter, President and CEO of Peacemakers said.
The Peacemakers plan to open the doors of opportunity with resources that range from conflict resolution to free mental health counseling.
“We got a lot of work to do. This is not a lounge or a luxury center, this is a training center,” Hunter said.
Every Sunday, the organization holds an hour of power, where they walk the streets and offer free security cameras and free installation. So far, they have given out more than 30 cameras to help community members feel safe at home.
“We need to bring the neighbor back in the hood because when the neighbor is back you look out for one another. When you are in the hood, you’re by yourself. Because when the neighbor is there, they look out for the next person,” Hunter said.
The Peacemakers see this as turning the page to a new chapter of hope for the Lynchburg community.
“We say we are going to put action and action is an acronym we use that says accepting challenges to improve our neighborhoods. That’s action,” Hunter said.
You can find the Peacemakers’ headquarters right on the corner of Pierce Street and 12th Street. Every Tuesday night from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., they hold conflict resolution classes for the public.