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March 2022 Newsletter
OSHN is excited to share that The Office of Youth Development (OYD) is in the process of transitioning from the Office for Resilience and Community Services (RCS) to the Office for Safe and Healthy Neighborhoods (OSHN). The goal is for Louisville Metro to have a comprehensive youth development system which includes violence prevention and intervention. In addition to linking with OSHN’s outreach and community engagement work, we will continue supporting opportunity youth ages 16 to 24, and will be expanding the Louisville Youth Network to ages 10 to 15. This development as well as the continued expansion of our existing work has led to several new positions available in our office. See which positions would be right for you and apply directly here!
Upcoming Events
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Unity in the Community: 1st Annual Resource Fair
The Office for Safe and Healthy Neighborhoods invites you to come celebrate all that makes Portland a community to call home Saturday, March 26th from 12:00pm - 4:00pm located at the Portland Community Center at 640 N. 27th Street 40212.
This free event will include music from D.J. YGeezy, food, raffles, games, face painting and more!
We are truly thrilled to be able to reconnect with friends, family and neighbors in the community! Small and large business owners are encouraged to networking during this event.
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National Youth Violence Prevention Week - One Love Ambassador Training
Our next Ambassador Training will be held on Saturday, April 2nd from 10:00am - 1:30pm and we will meet at the Main Branch of the Louisville Free Public Library located at 301 York Street.
Our next Ambassador Training will be youth-centered and participants will be trained in Mental Health 101/Suicide Prevention, Stop the Bleed, Conflict Resolution, Domestic Violence Awareness, and The Public Health Approach to Violence. Join over 500 participants who have completed the training since its inception in 2017. If you have ever wanted to learn how you can get involved in violence prevention, this is your chance! Registration below is required. Lunch will be served.
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Networking Night
Networking Nights are an opportunity to get to know the change-agents doing the work in violence prevention. They provide a space to learn about volunteer opportunities, share your work, learn about resources, and connect with partners working to create a safer and more equitable Louisville.
Join us on Tuesday, March 29th at 6pm. This will be an in-person event held at the Main Louisville Free Public Library at 301 York Street.
We will hear from several OSHN partners including Russell Place of Promise, Restorative Justice and YMCA – Y-NOW.
Registration below is required. Food and Refreshments will be served. Come learn, share, connect and #betheone to help create a safer Louisville.
For more info, contact Jacob.hazel@louisvileky.gov
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Online Reading and Learning
With limited trainings and in-person gatherings, below are some interesting learning opportunities to continue to grow and develop our collective understanding of violence.
 This article examines the impact of the events on March 16th, 2021, when a White gunman shot and killed eight people at three Asian-owned massage businesses in the Atlanta area. Six of the victims were Asian women who worked at the spas.
Three Activist discuss how the shootings has affected their lives and work, what has stayed with them in the year following the attack, and who they think is missing from the conversations about anti-Asian racism. Click here to read the full article.
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The Mayor Greg Fischer Podcast
Episode 54 (15 minutes) - Racial Equity & Lean Into Louisville
Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer discusses efforts to improve racial equity with the city's Chief Equity Officer Michael Meeks and the Lean Into Louisville initiative with Project Manager Joi McAtee.
This episode can be streamed for free on SoundCloud, click here to listen to the episode.
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The Trace: Mending Community and Police Relations
In a handful of cities across the country, interactions between police and communities have grown so tense that municipal leaders have turned to conflict resolution sessions, where residents and the cops work with mediators to hash out differences.
The article explores how Newark hopes that providing officers and residents the space and tools to listen to each other can remedy distrust and prevent further violence.
Trauma to Trust is Newark’s spin on such a program, an attempt to get the two sides to better understand each other’s stress and trauma. Click here to learn more.
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Council on Criminal Justice End of Year Report
This report updates a previous study of crime changes during the COVID-19 pandemic, extending the data through the end of 2021. The Council on Criminal Justice came to a major conclusion: as the pandemic subsides, long lasting reductions in violence and crime will require cities to adopt evidence-based crime-control strategies and long-needed reforms to policing. Click here to read the full report.
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Community Board
Take a look at some of the latest news, resources, and events in the community. Keep your community informed by sharing these with family, friends, and neighbors.
COVID Vaccine Clinic
On Monday March 21st, Louisville residents are encouraged to visit The Smoketown Wellness Center located at 760 S. Hancock Street Suite B100 from 4pm-6pm for a COVID-19 vaccine clinic.
This event is free and open to the public! It will include freed food, free HIV testing, community resources, $25 Kroger gift cards for vaccine participants and more!
Pfizer 1st and 2nd doses will be available in addition to booster vaccines for children ages 5 and older.
For children younger than 17 years old, parental consent is required! For registration or inquiries, call 502-242-7458.
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‘Amiracle-Ade '' Spring Season Opener Extravaganza and Youth Hiring Event
This event will be held at Louisville's Big Four Walking Bridge on Saturday, April 02, 2022 from 2 -4 pm!
Amiracle-Ade is kicking off our 2022 lemonade season with a bang! Get ready, calling all scholars, and young entrepreneurs ages 14-17 for a hiring event! They are investing in Louisville’s youth, because Amiracle-Ade believes in the importance of supporting the next generation. Their mission is to strengthen the talents, self-confidence, work ethic and to provide 21st century skills to Louisville’s youth through hard work that literally pays.
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Metro Council Diaper Drive
Councilwoman Cassie Chambers Armstrong (D-8) and Councilwoman Paula McCraney (D-7), who co-chair the Metro Council Women’s Caucus, announced that the Caucus would be hosting a diaper drive during the month of March.
Louisville’s Office for Women states that one in three families lack adequate resources to buy diapers, and it is often an overwhelming burden that lands on women. There will be a red bin in the First Floor Lobby of City Hall, where anyone can drop off packages of new diapers. To learn more, click here
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Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kentuckiana is Seeking Mentors
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kentuckiana (BBBSKY) BBBSKY is recruiting Bigs to serve as mentors for children in all of Louisville’s neighborhoods!
You have a BIG opportunity in front of you— to not only impact a child’s life today— but to transform their potential for tomorrow.
IT TAKES TWO! 2 people- the mentor and the child, 1 year commitment, 2 outings per month, 2 total hours per month!
For more information on how to become a Big, click here to visit us at our website.
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Boys & Girls Haven: Independence Readiness
The Boys and Girls Haven has an exciting opportunity for young adults 18-24 in the Jefferson County Region. Life and career exploration assessments and intensive case management are offered to guide their transition
to independence. Services include access to housing and employment networks.
Clients will have direct access to a funnel of internships,
apprenticeships, and permanent employment opportunities.
For more information or to register, contact: aespinosa@boyshaven.org
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Free GED Prep Classes - Jefferson Skills U
Free GED and English classes are available morning, afternoon, and evening with additional options for instructor-facilitated virtual classes and self-paced online options.
You will have access to: leveled classes, facilitated labs, experienced instructors, college and career navigators, parenting classes, children enrichment classes and online resources!
If you or someone you know needs to earn the GED credential or improve English language skills, please contact us at (502) 485-3400 or complete the enrollment form found at www.ged4u.com.
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Whitney M. Young Job Corps' Doors Are Open
Job Corps is a government-funded program aimed to help eligible individuals 16-24 obtain their high school diploma or GED, if needed, along with a career certification for free.
The work-based learning program provides students with opportunities to link their career technical training with practical, on-the-job activities. Careers range from advanced manufacturing to healthcare.
To learn more on how you can enroll or help a young person you may know enroll, click here to learn more or call us at 502-774-1886.
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Keep Going Scholarship Application Now Open!
Russell: A Place of Promise, the Youth Resistance Collective, and the Community Foundation of Louisville have created a scholarship after Travis Nagdy, a 21-year-old social justice leader in Louisville who lost his life in late 2020.
The scholarship is named "Keep Going" in honor of his signature motto and is open to Black residents in West Louisville ages 17-24 that are enrolled in a post-secondary non-profit institution. Applications are open and will close on Friday, April 1st, 2022.
Link scholarship application here.
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The YMCA Safe Place Y-NOW
Y-Now program is a mentoring program for children that have/had an incarcerated parent. Y-NOW is currently seeking mentors to support this amazing population.
For more information click here.
No experience is necessary, just heart and commitment. Training is provided. To learn more about volunteering with Y-NOW, call or email Brittany Leon at 635-4393.
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Kentucky Career Center Manufacturing Training Scholarships
The Kentucky Career Center is offering training scholarships in Manufacturing. Scholarships are available for machinist, welder, engineering technician, boilermaker, assembler and more.
For more information contact Monica Collins at monica.collins@kentuckianaworks.org or 502-388-3010
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Trauma Resilient Community: Let's Heal Together
TRC is offering free AF-CBT and RTT counseling services to South and West Louisville residents.
TRC has partnered with Seven Counties Services to provide AF-CBT to improve family relationships impacted by trauma.
What is AF-CBT? Alternatives for Families - Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (AF-CBT) is a trauma-informed treatment to manage grief, anger, anxiety, and stress. Learn how to solve problems effectively and address family conflicts.
For more information contact Nannette Dix at 502-612-0450.
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Seven Counties Services
Seven Counties Services offers 24/7 assistance in times of crisis and remains dedicated to providing quality services to our community.
Seven Counties has served 34,000 people in our community through programs since 2019.
If you or someone you know struggles with mental health, substance use, or a developmental disability and is seeking help, please contact Seven Counties Services!
Any community member can also make a referral for services on their website at: https://sevencounties.org/referral/
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News and Announcements
Louisville Women Recognized for Leading the Fight Against COVID-19 in Hispanic Community
Earlier this month Mayor Greg Fischer was joined by Dr. SarahBeth Hartlage, associate medical director of the Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness (LMPHW); Dr. Maria Nota, pediatrician with Norton Community Medical Group – Germantown, community medical director with the Institute for Health Equity, a part of Norton Healthcare and member of the Louisville Metro Board of Health; and Karina Barillas, executive director of La Casita Center, to provide an update on COVID-19 and observe Women’s History Month.
"Women, as we know, often take on the role of caregiver and there have been a crushing number of needs throughout the pandemic,” Mayor Fischer said. “When you think about children, aging parents, our vulnerable population, ill family members – societally, at least here in America, most of the responsibility as caretaker falls on women.”
Mayor Fischer said the city was fortunate to have a team of top-notch public health professionals already in place who had been through tough challenges before, such as the response to the Hepatitis A outbreak - in which they had earned a “gold standard” approval from the CDC.
Currently, Jefferson County is considered in the low COVID-19 community level category. Louisville Metro has updated its COVID-19 data dashboard to reflect new CDC guidance.
To read the full article click here.
Mayor rallies community for 2022 Give A Day, annual service program that is a full month this year
On March 9th, Mayor Greg Fischer was joined representatives from Metro United Way, Jefferson County Public Schools, GE Appliances, Brown-Forman, YouthBuild Louisville and a variety of volunteers and nonprofit organizations to announce the 2022 Mayor’s Give A Day, a Celebration of Service with support from Metro United Way.
Give A Day was launched in 2011 as a one-day service opportunity for Louisville residents. It has continued to grow to the point that this year’s Give A Day is a full month of giving, beginning April 1 through April 30, 2022. Hundreds of volunteer opportunities will be available, whether you're looking for an individual project or one for a group.
Click here to view all available opportunities, share your experience, or donate to the cause.
METCO Board approves over $900,000 in small business loans, leveraging nearly $10.5 million of investment
On March 17th, The Metropolitan Business Development Corporation (METCO) Board has approved $918,500 in low-interest small business loans to four businesses for projects totaling almost $10.5 million.
The METCO board meets monthly to review, discuss and vote on applications for small business loans available through Louisville Metro Government. The city’s small business loan programs are administered by Louisville Forward.
In 2021, METCO approved more than $2.4 million in traditional METCO loans to 26 businesses, leveraging nearly $17.2 million in investment throughout the city. It also allocated $744,000 to 17 businesses through the Small Business COVID-19 Relief Loan Program, which provides small businesses negatively impacted by the pandemic with low-interest loans of up to $50,000 to pay for expenses that will sustain the business.
To learn more about the city’s METCO loan programs, click here.
Louisville receives additional $27 million for emergency rental assistance from the state to help prevent evictions
On March 8th Mayor Greg Fischer today thanked Gov. Andy Beshear for providing Louisville with $27 million of the state’s federal funds for emergency rental assistance, allowing the city to assist more Louisvillians harmed financially by the pandemic.
From the start of the pandemic through Jan. 31, 2022, Louisville Metro Government has assisted 42,000 residents and distributed more than $96 million in emergency rental assistance.
In his remarks during a media briefing, Gov. Beshear noted that the federal funding formula gave Louisville and Lexington, which have their own eviction relief programs, fewer funds than anticipated. Previously, in June 2021, the Governor granted each mayor’s request to allocate funds to keep their local programs going. With today’s commitment, the state will have provided Louisville with $54 million of its federal funds for emergency rental assistance.
With the additional rental assistance, Louisville Metro is able to continue processing the more than 2,700 applications in the queue for assistance, helping thousands more individuals and families stay safely housed. Still, based on the pipeline of applications and need, the city anticipates it will have to close applications at the end of March.
To learn more about this story, click here.
Stay Connected!
There is great work happening here in the Office for Safe and Healthy Neighborhoods, and most importantly, in our community. It is our goal to keep you engaged and co-leading our important work. Our vision for Louisville is a city of safe neighborhoods where everyone is supported, free of violence, and prepared for lifelong success. We can only achieve this together, so stay connected with our monthly newsletters, social media, and visit our website for more information and additional calls to action.
Past OSHN Newsletters can be viewed here.
We would love your feedback. If you have questions or concerns regarding our newsletter, or have a related event that you would like to communicate with our networks, contact Joseph Newland.
Take care of each other.
#BeThe1
OSHN Team
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