LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — It's Youth Violence Prevention Week. Lexington's 2023 numbers show a drop in violence among teenagers and young adults.
One of the organizations credited for that progress is Urban Impact. They work with hundreds of kids in Lexington to provide them with after-school care and other programs.
In 2022, Urban Impact started a leadership academy specifically designed to mentor perpetrators and victims of gun violence ages 12-24.
In April, Mayor Linda Gorton reported a 75% decrease in gun violence among young people over the past two years. It's a number that leadership coordinator Chloe Martin said they are trying lower even more.
"It has reeled out the community with a lot of sadness, but it has given us a bigger fire to do what we love to do already," Martin said.
Urban Impact has also shifted its work to help adults improve their parenting and communication skills.
For more information, you can visit their website at: https://www.lexlf.org/urban-impact
