What happens when young people discover that their voices really can make a difference?

In Episode 27 of Moore Than Politics, State Senator Michael Moore sits down with Echo Louissaint Collins, founder of 508 C.H.E.E.R.S., a Worcester-based organization dedicated to empowering young people through community service, leadership, advocacy, and civic engagement.

Founded in 2022 in response to rising teen violence, 508 C.H.E.E.R.S. has grown into a program that gives young people a safe, supportive environment while teaching them how to become active participants in their communities.

Echo shares how her experiences as a student-athlete at Clark University helped shape her passion for community service and how that passion eventually led her to create an organization built around one simple belief: young people aren't just the leaders of tomorrow. They can make a difference today.

The conversation explores the organization's Youth Feed Youth initiative, which brings young volunteers together to prepare and distribute meals to people experiencing food insecurity throughout Worcester. During one recent summer, the program prepared nearly 800 meals, complete with handwritten messages of encouragement and information about local food resources.

Senator Moore and Echo also discuss the organization's Your Voice Matters initiative, which teaches young people how to identify issues affecting their communities, develop practical solutions, and present their ideas directly to elected officials and community leaders.

From food insecurity and homelessness to youth mental health, civic education, and the importance of accessible community resources, this episode highlights what can happen when young people are given the tools, encouragement, and confidence to make their voices heard.

As Echo explains, the mission isn't to tell young people what to care about. It's to teach them what to do when they care about something.

This is more than politics. It's about empowering the next generation to create meaningful change, one small act of service at a time.