Years ago I had a friend who grew up in ‘the projects.’ Drugs, guns, crime, gangs – they were everywhere. And there wasn’t much else to do. Until some bright person started dance classes in a school yard. I don’t know how many kids were saved from a life of drugs, guns, crime, gangs, prison and drug rehab, or how many didn’t die when they would have otherwise, but my friend was one of them. In fact, he became a professional dancer and, after that, a very successful businessman with a great family.

All from one guy who cared enough to give the kids something to do that was fun and challenging enough to get and hold their interest.

Many parents get their kids involved in one thing after another – partly to teach them different skills, partly to enable them to achieve something, and partly to keep them out of trouble.

But these are ‘minivan’ parents – families with cars, money and the time and flexibility to ferry their kids around from one activity to another.

This is not the case in inner cities. A higher percentage of parents don’t have jobs or, because they work for a relatively low wage, need two incomes to make a go of it. But, as they will tell you, they can’t afford the daycare, transportation, eating out of the house, appropriate workclothes and so on that are needed for both parents to work. In fact, those expenses can cost more than their pay. So, mom is at home. And usually without a car, without a support group that can help her, and so on.

That doesn’t leave extra money they can pump into helping their kids achieve their goals.

If you’re in that position, or know someone who is, you could make a big difference by finding people who would volunteer their services for community programs that the kids will attend. You could do a little survey of the local kids, speak to them individually, and see what they would like. Then pick the things that the majority of kids say they would like and get something going.

Community activities like this can change an entire neighborhood. If you have the opportunity to do it, you could save lives, and help many kids achieve something that they’re proud of and can carry them forward to create a good future, free of crime, guns, gangs, prison, drugs and drug rehab programs.

And the personal satisfaction for you will be out the roof.

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