Area Nonprofit Works to Protect Birmingham Children from Violence

By Alaina Bookman | abookman@al.com This is another installment in Birmingham Times/AL.com/CBS42 joint series “Beyond the Violence: what can be done to address Birmingham’s rising homicide rate.” Sign up for the newsletter here. Kings Kids Outreach, a nonprofit created to help Jefferson County and Birmingham youth, started with just two people. In 2012, Eric Jones, who often volunteered with youth throughout the city, got a call from a Bush Hills Academy counselor saying a student needed help. Jones had lunch with the student and talked about school, family and goals. With just a weekly chat, Jones said the student made strides academically and personally. Eric and Terria Jones then created Kings Kids Outreach to provide area youth with mentorship, tutoring, school supplies, counseling and summer programs. The nonprofit helps improve academic outcomes, reduce absenteeism and protect children from violence. The Joneses say change can come from something as simple as offering a child a listening ear and a space to be themselves. “A lot of kids feel like they are not being heard. If we sit back and listen to what a child is saying, they will tell you what’s going on with them…Sometimes kids just need a voice and...