Haverhill, Methuen and Lawrence are among communities sharing in $11.2 million in Sen. Charles E. Shannon Jr. Community Safety Initiative grants to address youth violence.
Haverhill and Methuen share $325,153, while Lawrence was awarded $250,500. In addition, UMass Lowell was awarded $36,197 to assist Haverhill and Methuen and the same amount to assist Lawrence as a Local Action Research Partners. Such partners provide strategic, analytic, technical and research support. Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito made the presentations at the South End Community Center in Springfield.
“We are proud to join with municipalities and local partners to bolster community efforts to prevent and respond to youth violence and gang activity,” said Polito. “Shannon grants support the collaborative spirit and vital teamwork that achieves safer communities, violence reduction and sustained positive life decisions for at-risk youth.”
In 2021, the state said, Shannon grant partners served more than 15,000 young people across the Commonwealth, representing a dramatic increase of youth participation in programs compared to 2020.
The grant program is named after late Sen. Charles E. Shannon of Winchester. Shannon represented Massachusetts’ Second Middlesex district of Winchester, Woburn, Somerville and Medford from 1991 until he died in 2005 from leukemia. Before serving in the legislature, he spent 20 years with Lexington Police.