BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) — Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome announced Wednesday more than $1 million of grant awards towards two projects, the Inspiration Center in the BREC Howell Park and the Youth City Lab in Mid City.

Mayor Broome considers the projects as ways to help with crime, especially after a bloody weekend and shootings involving juveniles.

“We’re seeing too many young people getting caught up in violence. We want to offer them a different path and a positive option. We want to keep them safe, give them a place to go where they can access opportunities,” said Mayor Broome.

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According to city leaders, both projects will create opportunities with the help of local organizations and nonprofits that will teach life skills and will shape the future of the youth.

“We will never truly bring violence down if we don’t invest in communities that are hurting,” said Clay Young, chairman of The Baton Rouge Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Foundation.

Mayor Broome’s grants give $750,000 for the Inspiration Center and its collaboration with the Baton Rouge Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Foundation. The Youth City Lab is being given $411,897 and its collaboration with Front Yard Bikes, Big Buddy, Humanities Amped and Line for Line.

According to Mayor Broome, facilities will help through violence prevention services, after school mentorship, trauma-informed behavioral health services, educational programs, activities and educational opportunities.

Besides funding, Mayor Broome emphasizes the need to help the next generation and hopes the youth knows there is hope, especially before it’s too late.

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“If you feel threatened, if you’re having a mental health challenge, if you don’t know what to do, there are people including the mayor and all of these other partners who are here to help you,” Mayor Broome said.

The Inspiration Center is set to open June in 2025. The center is in its planning phase with intentions to break ground this summer.

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