Title
To honor and congratulate the Franklin County Children Services Malaika Mentoring Program on 25 years of dedicated service to African American girls in this community.
Body
WHEREAS, the Franklin County Children Services Malaika Program was created on May 15, 1995, as a Mentoring Program for girls 5 to 18 years of age - the program is designed to answer and address the disparities faced by African American girls served by Franklin County Children Services; and
WHEREAS,?Franklin County Children Services has expanded its commitment to improving the quality of life and outcomes for Black girls; embracing the Commission on Black Girls aim of preventing?abuse, neglect, and the intersectionality of racism through the creation of community-level advocacy programs which bridge pathways that positively transform the lives of Black girls and all girls collectively; and
?WHEREAS, over the years, Franklin County Children Services has become acutely aware of the risk factors for African American girls involved in the child welfare system - the data shows that there are significantly higher birth rates for teens ages 10 to 19 years of age, in fact, the rate of infant births is more than double for females 18 years and younger - this leads to an over-representation of females being served by Franklin County Children Services; there is also an over-representation of children in foster care as well as lower graduation rates; and
WHEREAS, with this understanding, Franklin County Children Services has been providing volunteer and mentoring services to enrich the lives of children being served in Columbus and Central Ohio for more than 50 years - FCCS recognizes that youth mentorship programs help young people to improve their self-esteem and enhance their relationships with family members and peers, ultimately helping them to feel a greater sense of connectedness with their community and their schools - caring mentors offer youth valuable support, guiding them towa...
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