PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – Unless something changes rapidly, Urban Youth Action will shut down after 45 years of serving the African-American youth of Pittsburgh.

On Monday, family members, alumni and supporters rallied to keep it open even though the board of directors voted to close the doors after today.

Three things have to happen for the youth to thrive.

They need work, they need life experience and at the same time they have to have a sense of community.

UYA said the kids will get all three from them.

“When we take all of those elements of being work ready, life prepared and community minded, the community [is] the beneficiaries of it all,” I’Asia Eybers said.

Rev. Cornell Jones is the son of the organization’s founder. He is making it his life’s work to make sure his father’s legacy lives on in the lives of Pittsburgh’s at-risk youth.

“It’s not over until it’s officially over and right now it’s not over. We got resources. We got the community backing us up and all we are trying to do is have a conversation with the board so we can move this on,” Rev. Jones said.

It remains to be seen of the board will hear their plea.

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