ASK SAMMY, founded by Samaris Rose-Smith in 2018, strives to prevent children and families who face daily life challenges within the city of Bridgeport, CT and surrounding towns from having to deal with those challenges alone.Wanting to help others avoid what she, her family, and many in her community have experienced due to drug use, violence, poverty, and daily life challenges, Ms. Rose-Smith established a series of outreach programs. By advocating for herself, she realized she could provide this help to others. Her organization is a hub of resources for those who need assistance with jobs, housing, mentoring, youth programs and short-term healthcare.Gun violence, drug use, drug peddling, and gang related violence, has led to single parent families and incarcerated adults, leaving children the most vulnerable and many without a sense of purpose. Gun violence is the catalyst behind the newest outreach initiative. As the godmother of a young man, twenty-two, who life ended tragically while walking home from work, Samaris Rose-Smith learned too well the pain of losing a loved one. Her godson left behind two children with one on the way. Modeling on a Newark Community Street Team public safety project and through community engagement, ASK SAMMY is creating a program based on reaching young people before they get caught in the cycle of guns, drugs, and gang related violence.