Spider’s Web launch in the news!

Lit for Life's Jo Altilia in the ring.

Spider Jones’ Youth Empowerment Initiative launched in the Chalkfarm neighbourhood last week, and Literature for Life was proud to be there along with him inside the ring. The launch was covered by The Toronto Star and CTV.

More from The Toronto Star:

“…in addition to basketball, Jones’ initiative will seek to provide youth with other activities like boxing, broadcast skills and literacy programs that encourage children to learn.

The Youth Empowerment Initiative is a pilot program that will also provide youth in Ward 7 with computer training and other mentoring programs. It has already helped provide the Chalkfarm neighbourhood with a swimming pool and a community centre.

Other organizations involved include Doorsteps Neighbourhood Services, Greenwin Inc., TD and Literature for Life.

For Jones, the desire to empower youth comes from personal experience. In 2006, he told the Toronto Star how fearful he was as a young kid, and called low self-esteem the “number 1 predator of our children today.”

“It steals your confidence away. It steals your joy. It steals your aspirations. It fills you with self-hatred. It fills you with doubt,” he said.”