Explanation
This ordinance authorizes Columbus City Council to enter into contract with Reading Holiday Project, Inc. to renew and expand support of the Barbershop Books program.
Barbershop Books seeks to reduce the achievement gap by providing child-friendly reading spaces in neighborhood barbershops. In 2016, Columbus City Council and Columbus City Schools partnered to purchase 150 books and create 10 reading spaces in neighborhood barbershops. In 2017, Council and Columbus City Schools worked together to add 21 new barbershops to the program, providing those shops with books, training, and a child-friendly reading space. (One barbershop dropped out in 2016/17 creating a grand total of 30 shops.)
According to barber evaluation surveys in 2016, 73% of boys were “never reading” in their shops before the program. After the Barbershop Books program, barbers report that 91% either see boys reading daily or almost every day in their shops.
This funding request would pay for renewal subscriptions for all 30 shops, purchase replacement bookshelves, and fund a refresher training conducted by Mr. Alvin Irby (Founder of Barbershop Books) for current barbers and community liaisons.
Emergency Designation: Emergency action is requested to ensure that funding is available to continue the program uninterrupted to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the residents of Columbus.
Fiscal Impact: Funding is available within the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund.
Title
To authorize Columbus City Council to enter into contract with Reading Holiday Project, Inc. to renew and expand support of the Barbershop Books program; to authorize an appropriation and expenditure within the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund, and to declare an emergency. ($26,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, Barbershop Books seeks to reduce the achievement gap by providing child-friendly reading spaces in neighborhood barbershops; and
WHEREAS, in 2017, Council and Columbus City Schools worked together to add 21...
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