George Russell’s first memory of the Worcester Youth Center was as a small child walking into the 27 Chandler St. building with his older brother and stepfather. By the time he was 13, the Youth Center had moved down Chandler Street to its permanent home, and he found his afterschool go-to place.

“They kept me off the streets,” he said. “I found a summer job, got my GED, and learned how to type on a computer.” He also learned gardening
skills, building an urban garden on Oread Street and growing strawberries, kiwi, cucumbers and pumpkins, he said. He spent a summer planting trees to replace those attacked by the Asian longhorned beetle.

I’ve been involved with the Worcester Youth Center for a really long time and it’s been really good for me.

“All they did was help me strive,” he said.

After a few bumps in the road, George said, he returned to the Center for more support. Now 22, he started his own business in the spring of 2019, and has found that, once again, the Youth Center is a great resource.

“Sam helped me a little bit with paperwork to get started — my business certificate, IRS tax forms and a bank account.” Other staff, including Sheron Hozier and Yoshada Kwaning, have shared advice as he launched Crazy4Junk, a junk removal business. His website, social media presence, lawn signs and T-shirts ready, he has secured his first few customers and some good feedback. “I can do anything they need,” said the start-up salesman.

“I’ve been involved with the Worcester Youth Center for a really long time and it’s been really good for me,” said George. “I learned that they’re here to help us, to take us from the environment we came from into a new place.”