This week, Safe Humane Chicago (SHC) wraped up its second season of its CAN-TV Hotline 21 live call-in program on a high note when SHC co-founder and Best Friends National Director of Project Safe Humane, Cynthia Bathurst, interviewed Roots & Shoots Illinois State Coordinator, Credell (“Cre”) Walls.

Roots & Shoots is an international youth initiative through the Jane Goodall Institute promoting positive change for communities, animals and the environment.  Last year, Roots & Shoots Regional Program Coordinator, Heather Greenwell, invited the SHC youth leaders to participate in its Midwest Summit at Northeastern Illinois University.  SHC hooked up with Walls at that event — from there, a strong partnership emerged that has been instrumental in developing some of the newer initiatives with Safe Humane Chicago’s Lifetime Bonds programs. In addition, Roots & Shoots spawned two important SHC relationships with Lost Boyz and Ray of Hope Center of the Arts, organizations operating in disadvantaged Chicago neighborhoods to keep teens and young adults safe and engaged in positive activities through training and recreation.

During the show, Bathurst talked with Walls about Roots & Shoots’ efforts and how its mission and projects intersect with Safe Humane Chicago in Chicago neighborhoods and with Best Friends mission and campaigns.

“The Roots & Shoots emphasis on helping young people to organize around a project that they feel passionate about and then to connect with others is perfect for Safe Humane,” says Bathurst.  “Our strong partnership in Chicago will no doubt extend to other cities where Safe Humane can work with Roots & Shoots groups.” 

Since partnering with Roots & Shoots, Lost Boyz and Ray of Hope, SHC has launched several new Lifetime Bonds initiatives in its efforts to end violence against people and animals.  Over the past year, SHC has offered free pit bull puppy training sessions and needed veterinary care to low-income residents on Chicago’s south side.  Also in place is a program at the Illinois Youth Center in Chicago, a juvenile detention facility.  Once a week, SHC brings in dogs and handlers to socialize with the young men at the facility and to educate the population about the safe, humane interaction of people and animals.  A few of the young men also work one-on-one with shelter dogs to make them more comfortable around people and, therefore, more likely to be adopted.

And most recently there’s a musical production in the making with Ray of Hope Center of the Arts.  “There’s No Place Like Home” is an original adaptation of“The Wiz” whose animal characters deliver messages of responsibility, kindness and compassion and the need for animals as well as people to have homes.

Bathurst believes the initial connection with Walls helped facilitate and promote many of these ambitious projects.

“When we first met, Cre talked about the interest of some of the young people in his Roots & Shoots groups to do something to stop dog fighting and replace it with positive activities and better economic opportunities,” says Bathurst.  “And it was only days later that he connected us with them.  The result has been young people engaged in projects with dogs that have improved the quality of life for both and saved lives.  And those young people are bringing in others.  Without Cre and our Roots & Shoots partnership, our Lifetime Bonds programs would not be what they are or as far-reaching.” 

This Thursday’s Safe Humane Chicago TV program was the final episode of the year. Bathurst plans to launch its third 13-week TV series in the spring of 2010. In the meantime, Safe Humane Chicago has several other initiatives in the works. To keep up to date, visit www.safehumanechicago.org.  

 

Check your local TV listings for the CAN-TV’s Hotline 21 channel in your area.