Main Street Gym: Inspiring community youth outside of the ring

SALISBURY, Md. – The Shore Gives More campaign is back for Giving Tuesday. It’s an online giving event from the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore. This year 145 non-profits have teamed up with CFES to try and raise money on Giving Tuesday. One of the organizations involved is Main Street Gym.

The gym has been around for over 30 years. It’s most known as a boxing club, providing low cost memberships. Through fundraisers like Shore Gives More, they are able to give scholarships to those who may not be able to afford it or the equipment. Main Street Gym also provides out of school learning programs. Coach Hal Chernoff says the kids in their gym learn about responsibility and also taking pride in everything you do. Beyond the ring, they help facilitate education on opportunities for the future and set them up on a direct path for success.

“When I started it was just about boxing, competing against Baltimore, Philadelphia, DC and now it’s more about a program helping kids then it is actually about boxing,” explains Coach Hal Chernoff. “It opens their minds, we’re trying to open their world up a little bit so they see a little more than what they do every single day, just going to school and going home.”

Chernoff says boxing may bring people in the door but it’s the well rounded program that helps them succeed. “It’s become a real highlight in the community to help a lot of kids in a lot of different ways,” he explains.

You can learn more about Main Street Gym on their website here and check out their fundraising page on the Shore Gives More website here.