"Shoot Basketballs, Not Guns" aims to protect Philadelphia youth from gun violence

Wednesday, February 15, 2023
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- When Ryan Harris was growing up in the heart of Hunting Park, the neighborhood was less than ideal for a young person.

But his parents and other adults kept him and his brother on a path toward success, and now he devotes his life to giving back.
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The Tree House is a safe space for young people in that same neighborhood, and since 2012 Harris has been running a non-profit there.

With As I Plant This Seed, Harris heads up a mentoring program, activities, trips, and more for kids ages 7-17.

Even though he has a busy schedule with his job at Jefferson Hospital, he devotes almost all of his time to exposing the youth to people, places, and things that can expand their view of life beyond the neighborhood, and the possibilities for their lives.


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