Chicago, IL -- The streets in Chicago are getting rougher and rougher as the years go by... And young people are caught in the crossfire during a surge of violence that been happening. And those young people are mostly blacks. There is a push to get 5,000 men involved in an effort to do something about it before summer arrives, according to ABC 7 Chicago.

There must be an stand somewhere and Pastor Corey Brooks and Project Hood is starting an Stop the Violence campaign called "Brothers on the Block." The plan is sending out those 5,000 men to Chicago's most violent block to serve as mentors and role models. So far, over 1,000 men has signed up.

William Callaway who is an 25-year-old is followed by many African-American men of all ages, was the first to sign up. They come to the New Beginnings Church to be part of Pastor Corey Brooks' latest anti-violence campaign called Brothers on the Block occupation.

"On Friday nights in June, July, August, we are going to be in the neighborhoods, on the blocks on, building report," Brooks said.

Brooks is looking for 5,000 black men willing to volunteer their time. They will work in teams of 10 on 500 of Chicago's most violent blocks.

"I'm not going to give up as long as there are people dying, guns shots. I'm not going to give up," said Calloway said.

Forty-two-year-old David Reynolds knows it won't be easy, but he hopes to have a positive impact, even if it means changing the life of just one teenage boy.

"We want to share our story, be an example or role model," he said. "Many of them come from broken homes and don't have anyone to reach out to."

The Brothers on the Block occupation sign up event began a few hours after a 15-year-old was shot in the Bronzeville neighborhood. Many at Pastor Brooks' event are hoping Chicago's daily gun violence will go down as result of some one on one interaction with black male role models.

The Brothers on the Block campaign will officially begin on Friday, June 6. Pastor Brooks' will be signing people up until June 4. All men will have to go through a training session. For more information about 'Brothers on the Block' and how to get involve you can call (773)-326-4200.

The HBCU Campaign wants to reach out to the youth of Chicago as well. The HBCU Campaign working on goal/plan for 2014 and 2015 yrar is to connect with Chicago Public Schools to go in high schools and recruit black youths seniors that will be graduating and help them apply into an HBCU (historically black colleges & universities) and give them an opportunity to go to college, and guide and make sure their first year of college goes smoothly. We also would like to either campaign to give or find sources of scholarship money to get their tuition paid for or pay off the first year, at least.

As Minister HBCU, Mr. Anthony Hyland stresses, "If we don't continue to give back, our youth will continue to give up!"

Source:

www.abc7chicago

D.J's Music Site HBCU Campaign Support

www.hbcucampaign.org