Not just a place to go, a place to GROW!
C.H.E.E.R.S. to a Better Community!
Community, Health, Equity, Empowerment, Resources and Service
HOW WE C.H.E.E.R.S. - Empowering Change
Our Mission Why We C.H.E.E.R.S.
508 C.H.E.E.R.S. empowers youth in Worcester County, MA through mentorship, community service, and advocacy. We address food insecurity, inequities in our community, promote health and wellness, and create pathways for personal and career growth by exposing our youth to opportunities. Together, we uplift unsheltered and underserved community members while building a more equitable and connected future.
Our Vision
We dream of a future where mentorship & mutual aid empower youth to overcome challenges, support their communities, and shape a more just & equitable world for all.
Our Values What We C.H.E.E.R.S. for
Community
We value the power of collective action, encouraging strong connections and collaboration to uplift underserved communities.
Health
We are dedicated to promoting holistic well-being through healthy eating, physical activity, mental health support, and substance use & violence prevention education.
Equity
We are committed to creating a fair and just world by addressing systemic inequalities and ensuring all individuals have access to essential resources.
Empowerment
We believe in equipping youth with the tools, knowledge, education and confidence to overcome challenges, change the world, access opportunities and achieve their fullest potential.
Resources
We create transformative opportunities for youth by exploring connections and resources within their communities.
Service
We believe there is no greater opportunity in this world than the opportunity to serve, uplift and give back to others.
Feeding Hope, Building Leaders
Youth Empowerment Mentorship Program
Youth Empowerment Mentorship Program
Youth Empowerment Mentorship Program
Our comprehensive programs aim to empower youth through education, community service, personal development & advocacy. We focus on addressing food insecurity and inequities while building future leaders.
• Food Insecurity Programming
• Community Service Programming
• Civic Engagment & Advocacy
• Cultural & Healthy Cooking Classes
• Financia
Our comprehensive programs aim to empower youth through education, community service, personal development & advocacy. We focus on addressing food insecurity and inequities while building future leaders.
• Food Insecurity Programming
• Community Service Programming
• Civic Engagment & Advocacy
• Cultural & Healthy Cooking Classes
• Financial Literacy & Education
• Mental Health & Wellness
• Girls Mentorship Program
• Career Readiness
Leadership & Growth
Youth Empowerment Mentorship Program
Youth Empowerment Mentorship Program
Embark on a journey of self-discovery with our Career Pathways Exploration programs, where youth expand their career visions, cultivate financial literacy, and engage with influential community, city and state leaders to shape a better future.
Community Impact
Youth Empowerment Mentorship Program
Community Impact
Our 508 C.H.E.E.R.S. youth make a deep impact in the community
• We make 100 meals for the unsheltered and families in need monthly
• We partner with elementary and middle schools to deliver our food insecurity basketball clinics to educate youth on hunger, nutrition, the community fridges/gardens and local food resources
• We participate i
Our 508 C.H.E.E.R.S. youth make a deep impact in the community
• We make 100 meals for the unsheltered and families in need monthly
• We partner with elementary and middle schools to deliver our food insecurity basketball clinics to educate youth on hunger, nutrition, the community fridges/gardens and local food resources
• We participate in City Council & School Committee Meetings advocating for more support and funding for youth programs and food insecurity
• Our girls mentorship program addresses period poverty & menstrual hygiene equity
C.H.E.E.R.S. for Girls Empowerment & STrengTH
Build Strong Minds & Voices
Healthy Body, Healthy Habits
Build Strong Minds & Voices
Through engaging activities and meaningful discussions, we help our girls to build confidence, recognize their strengths, and develop essential life skills. By learning to speak up, manage stress, build healthy relationships, serve their communities, and connect with others, our girls grow into powerful advocates for menstrual equity, for one another, and for their dreams.
Empowered Inside and Out
Healthy Body, Healthy Habits
Build Strong Minds & Voices
Our commitment to building strong minds extends to physical well-being & safety. Our girls only works outs, & Rape, Aggression, Defense (R.A.D.) self-defense training empowers girls with practical skills to protect themselves. By focusing on both mental & physical health, we create a comprehensive program that supports the overall development of our participants. C.H.E.E.R.S. for safety!
Healthy Body, Healthy Habits
Healthy Body, Healthy Habits
Healthy Body, Healthy Habits
C.H.E.E.R.S. promotes positive body image by encouraging girls to appreciate and care for their bodies. Our program features women-led workouts, nutrition-focused cooking classes, and hands-on mentorship to help girls build self-confidence and develop a healthy relationship with their minds, emotions, and uniqueness.
508 C.H.E.E.R.S. gives youth in Worcester a second chance to
Jesse Collings of Worcester Telegram & Gazette Wrote on April 30, 2025
WORCESTER — As a young teenager, Hennessy Puello admits she did not make good decisions. Puello said that she found herself in bad situations, which ultimately led to her long-term suspension from Worcester Public Schools and attending an alternative school. "I used to make choices where I thought it would be the right choice for me but it was really a bad choice and it was leading me the wrong way," Puello said. "I was getting into a lot of trouble at home and at school, I wasn't involved in my community — I can say that I was a bad kid." Puello said she began to change when she became connected with 508 C.H.E.E.R.S. (Community Health Equity Empowerment Resources and Service), a nonprofit group aimed at helping youth in the city discover the benefits of community service while providing a safe social circle for students after school. Puello, now a ninth-grade student at Doherty Memorial High School, said that her experience working with 508 C.H.E.E.R.S. has had a huge impact on how she views herself. "I learned to advocate for myself and use my voice. Close mouths don't get fed and I have also learned to make things better for myself," Puello said. "I learned that if I want respect, I have to give respect. I want to be represented differently in this world. I don't want to be thought of as a kid who went the wrong way, who got suspended, got in fights, arrested...I want to change and be able to change the world."
Echo Louissaint Founder of 508 C.H.E.E.R.S. said, "I think we are selling our youth short. I have youth who have dealt with DCFS (Department of Children and Family Services) who are now standing up in City Hall meetings and saying they are going to change the world. Youth that people who have counted out. Youth that have dealt with gangs. Youth who people typically wouldn't look at as community changes and world leaders," Louissaint said. "Says who? Give them the knowledge, give them the resources and inspire them, lead them, show them how and they can and they will."
"I feel like I'm really making a change in my community. I understand that one individual might not make that big of difference, but the group right here that we have collected, it's going to make a big impact for people — people who are unsheltered, people who need food. And that is something that touches me," Givins-Osafo said. Madison Shaw, the youth employment coordinator for the Worcester Community Action Council, said that the group is different than a lot of the other organizations the Worcester Community Action Council works with. "Echo does a great job creating a welcoming space for everybody. There are people we have placed in other places and they haven't been comfortable, but they have had immense success at 508 C.H.E.E.R.S.," Shaw said.
Read the Original Telegram and Gazette Article Here
HeLP SPREAD C.H.E.E.R.S.- JOIN US!
How To C.H.E.E.R.S. With Us
• We need volunteers, mentors, coaches or cook with our youth
Donate grocery gift cards, meal ingredients, waters or
healthy snacks
• Donate menstrual hygiene or hygiene products
• Donate program supplies
• Support our fundraising efforts
• 501(c)(3) All donations are tax deductible
• Share our cause and connect us with resources
Who C.H.E.E.R.S. With Us
• All One Credit Union
• Worcester Community Action Council
• Worcester Family Resource Center
• Clark University- Hillel
• Woo Serves – United Way of Central Mass
• Notre Dame Academy - Love in Action
• Marcia's Elegant LED Rental Logistics Photo Booth & Catering Services LLC
• Challenge Yourself Fitness
• Troy B. Thompson Photography
• Keeping Worcester Warm
• The No Evil Project
• Woo Sox
• DCU Center
