KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — On a mission to change the lives of incarcerated youth, Haley Hunt founded The Verb Kind in Florida four years ago. Today, volunteers with the nonprofit are mentoring kids and teens behind bars in Tennessee for the first time.
That's why the kids serving time at Knox County's juvenile detention center would tell you Monday nights are special.
"Hope and a second chance for these kids is there, and some of these kids don't know that," Hunt said.
For one hour every week, incarcerated youth spend time with The VERB Kind volunteers and discuss topics such as forgiveness, resilience and hope.
According to the most recent data available by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, 4,143 juveniles were arrested in 2022 across the state. That accounts for an 18% decrease from 2021, when 5,069 juveniles were arrested.
Last year, juveniles in Tennessee made up nearly 8% of all arrests for crimes such as arson, assault and homicides, according to the TBI.
Hunt believes everyone deserves a second chance. She was inspired to create The VERB Kind in Orlando, Florida after spending a day with kids in jail.
"After a year, the state of Florida came to me and said, 'Whatever you're doing is making such an impact on the behavior of the kids, that we need to do this in every county in Florida,'" Hunt recalled.
The VERB Kind is in 10 counties across Florida, recently formed a team in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and is now in Tennessee for the first time.
Volunteers said they hope to show the kids they serve that their past doesn't define their future.
"These kids are just like any other kids," said Knoxville Catholic High School President Dickie Sompayrac. "They just need someone to believe in them, and let them know that they have a future. We can just see their demeanor when we first arrived versus when they leave and just how much more hopeful they seem and happy they seem."
The VERB Kind is in need of volunteers of all backgrounds.
"These kids don't care what you look like, what you do for a living, how much money you have. They just need love," Hunt added.
Visit WBIR's 25 Days of Giving web page at this link to view other people and organizations giving back to various communities this holiday season.