"We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future." Franklin D. Roosevelt
This issue highlights the priority area Public Safety, which received $68.08 million in ARP funding. By focusing on prevention, these projects work to keep the citizens and visitors of Louisville/Jefferson County safe while empowering them to make changes in their communities.
Youth Development Grants
"In the faces of youth, we glimpse the promise of a better world."
Desmond Tutu
As part of YES (Youth Engagement Services), under OSHN (Office for Safe and Healthy Neighborhoods), 21 grants were awarded to agencies serving youth. These range from providing afterschool tutoring to increasing access to services for those with developmental disabilities.
NAMI (National Association on Mental Illness) is one of those grantees. From the beginning they knew they wanted to create a mobile unit that would allow youth ages 10-18 access to mental health services.
"Early intervention is key for reducing the impact mental health symptoms can have on our young people. By providing accessible mental health resources we hope to reduce the time between the onset of signs and symptoms and proper diagnosis and care", said Nancy S. Brooks, Executive Director of NAMI Louisville.
This retrofitted school bus serves schools and community programs in the Louisville Metro area that work with youth by teaching mindfulness and meditation techniques, how to deal with their emotions, and how to be an advocate for their peers.
To learn more about Wellness on Wheels, follow this link: NAMI Louisville
After over 120 years of serving the people of Louisville and Jefferson County, Wesley House Community Services, Inc., focuses primarily on those programs that provide essential services to low-income families in distressed areas of the city.
Wesley House chose to use their ARP funding to grow their existing program, YBA (Young Brilliant Achievers), which helps to bridge the educational gap that disproportionately impacts Black and brown youth.
YBA offers its participants the chance to gain life and leadership skills, the importance of effective communication, help understand their value, and how they can influence today’s world. This is done by providing tutoring and social and emotional enrichment activities.
A parent of a YBA attendee said, “YBA provides what my children need all under one roof, which makes my life so much easier.”
Wesley House
The 19 additional grantees are: 1st Gethsemane Center for Family Development, Council on Developmental Disabilities, The de Paul School, The Delta Foundation, The Earhart Club, The Food Literacy Project at Oxmoor Farm, Harbor House of Louisville, Inside the Lines Training, Kentucky Refugee Ministries, Looking for Lilith, MOLO Village, Neighborhood House, NOIR Black Chamber of Commerce, Option to Success, Robert Jamison Ministries, Somali Community of Louisville, SOS International, Super Student Athletes, and the YMCA.
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Summer Programming
OSHN wanted not only to award funding to year round programs, they also wanted to spotlight summer programs in 2023 and 2024, that help keep youth engaged while teaching them valuable skills and allowing them to build relationships with peers.
In addition to the many other services the YMCA provides, they built a summer program aimed at providing swim access and teaching swim safety, lifeguard prep, and training to youth in West Louisville.
This was in preparation for several Metro pools opening next season that are currently under renovation. Because of this program, these participants will be safe and have an increased knowledge of swimming when these pools reopen.
YMCA Louisville
The additional Summer Programming grantees were: Adversity Skills, Black Male EDquity Network, ChoZen, Elite Lessons, EmpowHer, Fund for the Arts, The League Pro KY, Long's Tutoring, Louisville Folk School, MOLO Village, Power Inc., Roots 101 African American Museum, Sowing Seeds With Faith, St. George's Scholar Institute, TJ Next Level Apparels, TECH-Nique, 724 Inc., and Willenium Enterprise Foundation.
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YES! Direct- Youth Services Provider's Directory
One of the additional projects that was developed with the assistance of ARP funds is YES! Direct-Youth Services Provider's Directory. This provides youth-serving agencies the ability to list the services they provide while allowing youth, their families, educators, visitors, etc. the opportunity to search for activities, supports, and services (and their locations) in their communities.
"We are hopeful that YES! Direct will offer the community a reliable, consistent, accessible resource for youth services and programs," said Bethany Olson, Program Supervisor for Youth & Community Engagement, OSHN.
If you are interested in finding services or listing your agency on the site, please follow this link: YES! Direct
“The world is shaped by the dreams and ambitions of its young minds.” Malala Yousafzai
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