INDIANAPOLIS — There's a renewed push to support young people dealing with mental health issues.
Volunteers with We Bring Hope Network, the Exit Program as well as the Triumph Boxing Gym are dedicated to supporting Indy youth facing trauma, through their Champ Camp Program.
"A lot of these kids here have talked about bullying, depression, suicide and anxiety," said We Bring Hope Network co-founder Kristin Collins.
Every Saturday for three hours, they get free boxing lessons from coaches at Triumph Boxing Gym. After that, they circle up and the real work begins.
"We sit down and talk about some of the troubles they're going through and ways to overcome it," said Collins.
The group chose boxing not only because it's great exercise but it's also a healthy way for them to learn how to handle conflict.
"They're feeling different. They're knowing different. You don't have to pick up a gun. There are ways to conflict resolution situations where you don't have to go off the deep end," said volunteer Taj Longino.
Some of the kids are dealing with issues like bullying or stress from the pandemic.
"We have had several youths that had parents that had a hard time getting through COVID when they had it. That trauma or fear of 'are my parents going to be, ok? Are my parents going to come home from the hospital?'" said Collins.
"A lot of us feel really lonely," said boxer Gianalis Caraballo. "We are sad and depressed in our rooms cutting ourselves. Then they go to school and school's stressful and some of us get bullied and when you don't have an outlet to go, that's when you get closed in."
"It's definitely rare in our communities to have an opportunity to express yourself, think deeper and work yourself out physically," said boxer Eron Johnson.
Through every punch, this program is doing more than building champions inside and outside the ring. They're also building a family.
Now the group is raising money to expand the program and help keep their boxing lessons going.