Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Lehigh Valley will hold a town hall on December 13th at 6:30 p.m. The community will convene at BBBSLV’s Youth Mentoring Center for an open floor session with community leaders that are committed to serving youth in Lehigh County. Discussion will be around preventing youth from engaging in risky behaviors.

“The goal of the Town Hall meeting is to convene community leaders who are committed to the same goal. By working together, our youth will benefit, and our community will be strengthened,” said BBBSLV CEO Susan Bartels.

Community leaders in attendance will include Allentown Mayor-Elect Matt Turek, Tyrone Fisher, Director of Volunteer Engagement of BBBSLV along with Mitza Morales, Principal of Roberto Clemente High School, Gonzalez Smith of G&A Barbershop, Darnelle Scott of Promise Neighborhoods and Mark Little of Skilled Cutz.

The floor will be open for discussion on the following topics:

· Develop solutions on Defending the Potential of the Youth in the Lehigh Valley;

· Identify similar programs represented in the Community;

· Strategies on creating a ‘Prevention’ Coalition;

· Discuss Potential Partnerships and,

· Call for ‘Prevention’ Volunteers & Follow-Up

BBBSLV is leading the discussion on prevention thanks to a grant received from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime & Delinquency. The goal of the program is to serve 45 new Allentown youth by 2/23/2023. BBBSLV will work with these youth to keep them from engaging in risky behaviors such as gang involvement, alcohol, drug use and other criminal behavior.

“BBBSLV has a 50-year history of defending the potential of Lehigh Valley youth through one-to-one mentoring relationships,” said Bartels. “We wanted to convene others in our community

who are serving youth in Allentown and Lehigh County who understand the importance in partnering together to protect our youth.”

BBBSLV is looking for adult volunteers who live and work in Allentown to spend 2-4 times a month doing mutually agreed upon activities. For more information about volunteering and BBBSLV programs, visit the Becoming a Big – Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Lehigh Valley (bbbslv.org).

ABOUT MAYOR-ELECT MATT TUERK: Matthew Tuerk is an American politician and economic development official, who is the mayor-elect of Allentown, Pennsylvania, and will become the city’s 43rd mayor in January 2022. Despite entering a crowded field with low name recognition, Tuerk became the first candidate to defeat an incumbent mayor in an Allentown primary since 1973. Tuerk will be the city’s first Latino mayor. Previously, he held positions in the Allentown Economic Development Corporation and the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation.

Information provided to TVL by:
TERA TAYLOR-GREEN
Marketing & Communications Coordinator
Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Lehigh Valley
 

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