BRENTWOOD, N.Y.—The Brentwood and Central Islip communities have both been devastated by the recent loss of eight young people to gang violence, and community leaders are as determined as ever to bring positivity and hope back.
And there was plenty of both to go around at the 7th annual Brentwood/Central Islip Clean Streets Project on May 6. More than 400 children, teenagers, parents, and community leaders grabbed trash bags, rakes, and paintbrushes and headed out into the community to clean it up.
Marcos Maldonado, co-founder of the Clean Streets Committee and one of the event organizers, said he was heartened to see the number of children involved, “who were having the time of their lives.”
Marcos Maldonado, co-founder of the Clean Streets Committee, said the turnout was incredible. Laura Cooksey for The Epoch Times
