Explanation
This ordinance authorizes the City Clerk to enter into grant agreements with various social service agencies in support of non-violence programming and violence intervention strategies.
In March of 2021, Columbus City Council announced the availability of funding to support violence intervention strategies in response to rising neighborhood violence. Part of Columbus City Council’s Reimagine Safety agenda involves promoting programming that fosters youth engagement, employment, and the development of skills that will encourage long-term success and stability.
Ordinance 1008-2021, passed on April 19, 2021, provided funding totaling more than $1.3 million to 10 community agencies seeking to advance the priorities of the Reimagine Safety agenda. Now, Council seeks to provide 2 additional community organizations with funding that will further support non-violence programming:
· Reaching Higher Heights 4 Life will offer academic programming and urban gardening to students aged 6 through 17. The organization will hire 8 employees from within the community to provide 12 teenage students with mentoring, supervision, and experience in the Urban Gems program, a community garden initiative. ($85,000.00)
· 22nd Street Cookies takes a multifaceted approach to addressing the needs of teens, 14 or older, living in poverty. Teens served have all failed at least one grade and some can barely read or do elementary math. All are in danger of dropping out of school for poor attendance. All show evidence of inappropriate social behavior evidenced by either constant hitting or swearing or by extreme withdrawal. Home life for all is characterized by frequent moving, drug use and lack of parental support. ($20,000.00)
Fiscal Impact: Funding is available within the American Rescue Plan, Recovery Fund 2209.
Emergency action is requested in order to immediately implement or expand existing programming to address rising neighborhood violence.
Title
To authorize the Ci...
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