<body><div><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=3jUTWK_0vjw0VXB00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3jUTWK_0vjw0VXB00" width="1320" height="743" >BIRMINGHAM, AL (WBMA) — In the midst of the ongoing violence and crime in Jefferson county, one organization is working to be proactive and not reactive, aiming to stop the violence before it happens.R.E.S.T.O.R.E. stands forReduce, educate, support, train, organize, realize, and empower.'RESTORE' is a program through the Jefferson County Family Resource Center.Since the program started in March of 2023, the program has directly contributed to an 80% reduction in youth up to age 22 charged with murder.Additionally, the program has helped create a 61-percent reduction in victims aged 13 to 22.87 percent of participants reside inside Birmingham city limits.The largest number of youth they serve are from the area codes 35215, 35206, and 35211."We also have workshops twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays, which allows our youth the opportunity to come and learn about conflict resolution, asset mapping, strengthening families, how to go about articulating feelings," said Carrie Buntain, the program's executive director.Overall, nearly 200 'RESTORE' workshops have been held.Working with youth in need to discover what aspects of their life they need the most assistance with, ranging from school to transportation, clothing, medication, and above all else, helping them work through their emotions, and find healthy ways to cope with mental health struggles."They're not going to be out there misbehaving if they know their restore coordinator is going to call you. We check up on them. We had a shooting earlier this week that happened on one of our kids' streets and his coordinator drove out there to make sure it wasn't him or it wasn't anybody on his street," says Jefferson County Family Resource Center Executive Director Carrie Buntain.Buntain attributes much of their success to that constant contact.However, because of this, Buntain says she hopes to expand their team, to have more hands-on help with their clients and families."Our offices are in family court, and any day you're in family court is an intense day," said Buntain. She adds that a mental health expert would be ideal.Tuesday, restore received $250,000 from the city of Birmingham to continue supporting the program's efforts.That money will go towards helping at least 120 youth who are involved in the court system ages 16 to 19 this year.You can visit their website for more information on the program and its available resources.</div></body>

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'R.E.S.T.O.R.E.': Birmingham's youth criminality program

BIRMINGHAM, AL (WBMA) — In the midst of the ongoing violence and crime in Jefferson county, one organization is working to be proactive and not reactive, aiming to stop the violence before it happens. R.E.S.T.O.R.E. stands forReduce, educate, support, train, organize, realize, and empower. 'RESTORE' is a program through...