CHARLOTTE — A Charlotte victim’s rights organization is finding a new way to have a positive influence as it celebrates its 30th anniversary.
Mothers of Murdered Offspring, better known as MOM-O, said it wants to catch kids before they go down the wrong path.
Channel 9′s Glenn Counts spoke with the organization as it honored its past and looks forward to the future.
More than 200 people attended the anniversary celebration that was held at Lawrence Orr Elementary School on Saturday evening.
Everyone in attendance told Channel 9 that they had one thing in common, the loss of a cherished loved one to violence.
Mothers of Murdered Offspring was founded 30 years ago by Dee Sumpter, whose daughter was murdered by serial killer Henry Louis Wallace.
At the time of her daughter’s murder, Sumpter said many families had to grieve alone but now they have a shoulder to cry on thanks to MOM-O.
“Along the way, they always find us, so we’ve touched a lot. I would say nearly every family, even if it’s they say we’re not ready ... we at least reach out to them and offer our services to them. So that’s our pride that we reach out to every family that’s lost someone,” said MOM-O Executive Director Lisa Crawford.
The organization said most of what they do is provide help after the fact. Now, it is starting a violence prevention program, which will target young people.
>> At 11, Channel 9′s Glenn Counts delves deeper into that program and how MOM-O thinks it will help the community.
VIDEO: Mothers of Murdered Offspring founder reflects after 30 years, talks about expansion of organization
©2023 Cox Media Group
