DAYTON, Ohio -- Unified Health Solutions Freedom School sponsored the Annual Youth Rally Against Violence on Wednesday morning.

The event was held at 10:30 a.m. at RiverScape MetroPark on East Monument Street in Dayton.

Hundreds of people gathered downtown and rallied against youth violence that has occurred in the region recently.

The Children's Defense Fund located in Washington DC was started in 1973 and is the primary national non-profit organization working for children rights. Their Freedom Schools® program creates supportive, nurturing, literature-rich environments that set high expectations for all children through a focus on literacy, cultural heritage, parental involvement, Servant-Leadership, and social action. (Marian Wright Edelman, Founder and President of the Children's Defense Fund).

UHS Freedom Schools believes in children so that children will believe in themselves. We expect our teachers, children, parents, and staff to set high expectations for them and welcome the challenges of personal growth and transformation.

Unified Health Solutions is celebrating their 43rd Anniversary in 2009. Serving almost 6000 children and families each year, UHS has worked with over 125 other non-profit agencies providing a variety of prevention, intervention and self-sufficiency programs for those most at risk in our community.

UHS feels that negative economic news is an opportunity to showcase the good things happening in our community, including those that receive help through great businesses that continue to support those in need.

UHS is often called on first by school districts and government agencies searching for programs to impact those most in need in our community.