Mentoring Program Receives $500,000 from American Recovery Act
Published on Fri, Aug 28, 2009 by Caterina Tassara-VaubelRead More County & State
Everett, WA - Volunteers of America Western Washington is excited to announce that its Mentoring Children of Promise (MCP) program has received a $500,000 grant from the American Recovery Act awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP).
The money will be spread out over four years – developing a focus on work force readiness and career exploration and development for our community’s most at-risk youth.
Volunteers of America will utilize the funds to:
leverage and build upon community partnerships with local employers and higher education institutions such as Everett Community College and Workforce Development Council of Snohomish County
provide work force readiness, career development, educational, and community service opportunities for program youth
sustain current MCP program positions and create a new Resource Coordinator position to coordinate workplace readiness and career development activities
provide mental health counseling for program youth
With this grant, MCP will provide access to job training, career development and educational opportunities to MCP mentees who are seven to 18-years-old. Work force readiness and career development education will give our community’s most at-risk youth the tools and resources they need to end the cycle of poverty and incarceration.
“Volunteers of America does important work for our community,” said Rep. Rick Larsen. “$500,000 in Recovery Act funds will sustain three jobs and create one job here inSnohomish County. This funding is an investment in important youth mentoring programs that reduce crime and prepare local young people to join the workforce and explore higher educational opportunities.”
Volunteers of America’s Mentoring Children of Promise program currently has 130 mentor/mentee matches – serving at-risk youth from the age four to 18-years-old in five counties. We provide high quality one-on-one mentoring assistance to children who have been impacted by parental involvement in the criminal justice system. Mentoring programs have been shown to decrease first-time drug and alcohol experimentation, lower crime involvement and improve grades and school attendance.
Volunteers of America Western Washington is one of the region’s most comprehensive human service organizations. With the help of over 500 employees, 450 volunteers and 1,300 donors we are able to respond to 350,000 requests for assistance each year from families in crisis, children at risk, seniors, and adults with disabilities. For more information, visit www.voaww.org
The money will be spread out over four years – developing a focus on work force readiness and career exploration and development for our community’s most at-risk youth.
Volunteers of America will utilize the funds to:
leverage and build upon community partnerships with local employers and higher education institutions such as Everett Community College and Workforce Development Council of Snohomish County
provide work force readiness, career development, educational, and community service opportunities for program youth
sustain current MCP program positions and create a new Resource Coordinator position to coordinate workplace readiness and career development activities
provide mental health counseling for program youth
With this grant, MCP will provide access to job training, career development and educational opportunities to MCP mentees who are seven to 18-years-old. Work force readiness and career development education will give our community’s most at-risk youth the tools and resources they need to end the cycle of poverty and incarceration.
“Volunteers of America does important work for our community,” said Rep. Rick Larsen. “$500,000 in Recovery Act funds will sustain three jobs and create one job here inSnohomish County. This funding is an investment in important youth mentoring programs that reduce crime and prepare local young people to join the workforce and explore higher educational opportunities.”
Volunteers of America’s Mentoring Children of Promise program currently has 130 mentor/mentee matches – serving at-risk youth from the age four to 18-years-old in five counties. We provide high quality one-on-one mentoring assistance to children who have been impacted by parental involvement in the criminal justice system. Mentoring programs have been shown to decrease first-time drug and alcohol experimentation, lower crime involvement and improve grades and school attendance.
Volunteers of America Western Washington is one of the region’s most comprehensive human service organizations. With the help of over 500 employees, 450 volunteers and 1,300 donors we are able to respond to 350,000 requests for assistance each year from families in crisis, children at risk, seniors, and adults with disabilities. For more information, visit www.voaww.org
