We're raising the next generation of leaders in Worcester
Become a Hometown Hero by supporting our mission to show BIPOC, low-income, and underserved teens what real community leadership looks like.
Every morning, our young folk do something amazing. They show up in the world ready to grow.
Growing up wasn't a stress-free or easy experience for any of us, and it's only gotten more complex for today's youth. There's still the stuff we all recognize: raging hormones, confusing emotions, social awkwardness, and the emergence of an internal critic who can only see the worst in ourselves.
Now our youth are navigating these rites of passage with constant access to the internet and a level of visibility and surveillance that we couldn't have fathomed in our time.
Just like we did, they show up in the world every day ready to learn how to become a good person with a set of accomplishments and an identity they can be proud of. That's absolutely incredible.
Our youth are strong!
The challenge
The world our young people live in isn't always willing or able to show up for them and see the effort they're making.
We listen to our youth!
Many of our youth are struggling with access to food, stable housing, and educational resources and opportunities. When they have a hard time regulating themselves and their emotions in these difficult circumstances, they're often punished or labelled as "troubled".
They try to tell us that they need support and resources in the only way they learned how, and our community doesn't always see this for what it is. We end up with a community that feels less safe and less welcoming for everyone.
Sobering statistics
%
of youth can't access mental health services that they need
- 30% of high school students report feeling alone in their lives
- Youth wait an average of 15 weeks for ongoing mental health therapy
- Low-income families and communities of color are hit hardest by the shortage of mental health providers
%
of families don't get enough food
homeless students in Worcester Public Schools
%
of homeless students are unable to graduate
Our Programs
We show up for our young folk and invite them to make their voices heard in the community.
The youth lead here!
Our programs at 508 C.H.E.E.R.S. are youth-led and community-centered. They provide safe spaces for our young people to be fed, supported, and nurtured in their growth as leaders. We invest in BIPOC, low-income, and underserved youth across Worcester by supporting them to take action in their communities through service, advocacy, and wellness initiatives.
We offer help with basic needs and provide opportunities for our young folk to lead, organize, and speak for themselves in the community they live in with confidence. Our focus areas include:
Advocacy & Action
Basic Needs & Nutrition
Mentorship & Enrichment
Mental Health & Wellness
Opportunity & Future Readiness
Our Impact
Now our young people are becoming heroes and leaders in the community through service, advocacy, and civic engagement.
When our youth have the support and resources they need, they show up for each other and the Worcester community. They're cooking meals for neighbors who are hungry, packing food and care packages for unhoused folks downtown, and testifying at City Hall about the things they care about and the changes they want to see.
We see them mentoring younger kids coming up behind them and learning how to take care of themselves and each other along the way.
More than
School and community partnerships
More than
Youth-led community service projects completed
More than
Youth engaged in programming each year
We build opportunities for our youth!
We know this is generational work, so we're committed to building sustainable, youth-led community programming.
Follow our journey
We know this is generational work, so we're committed to building sustainable, youth-led community programming.
Follow our journey
Whoever you are, you're already part of our community.
Your voice creates an Echo!
Our young folk are already becoming heroes in our community, and there's room for you to be a Hometown Hero too. Whether you want to volunteer with one of our programs, partner with us as a school or organization, or donate to support our mission, you have a place in this work. Even $1 a month, given consistently, helps us keep this going for our youth in our community.