Federal Funds to Assist Organizations Serving At-Risk Youth

HYANNIS, MA  FEBRUARY 20, 2008:  Organizations serving at-risk youth and their families on Cape Cod can look forward to a series of free trainings, technical assistance and monetary grants through the new Cape Cod Youth Empowerment Initiative, retired Barnstable District Court Judge Joseph Reardon announced today.  This local initiative, which Judge Reardon helped found, recently received a share of a three-year $1.2 million Federal Grant designed to assist local organizations with improving their effectiveness and enhancing their ability to accomplish their missions.

“Our goal is to reach the small, energetic grass-roots organizations that help keep Cape Cod kids on the right path,” Judge Reardon said.  “Over my fourteen years on the bench, I saw too many young people come through my court—sometimes time after time.  I asked myself, what were the paths these youth—and their families-- took that brought them to my courtroom?  Suppose they had taken a different path, and ended up with good jobs, supportive friends, solid educations, healthy bodies, minds, souls? What influences might have guided them down better paths at various points on their journey?  We’re looking for those influences, and our goal is to make them stronger.”

To strengthen these influences, the Cape Cod Youth Empowerment Initiative will host a series of informational sessions in March for faith-based and community organizations that serve youth and families on Cape Cod.  The sessions will describe the available opportunities for organizations to build capacity through training, technical assistance, organizational assessment, and financial support.  

The information sessions will take place as follows:

• Mid-Cape, Tuesday, March 11, 3 PM at the Downtown Hyannis Campus of Cape Cod Community College, 540 Main St. Hyannis;
• Upper Cape, Thursday, March 13, Noon, Boys and Girls Club, Frank Hicks Road, Mashpee
• Lower-Outer Cape, Friday, March 14, 3 PM Wellfleet Senior Center, Old Kings Highway off Cahoon Hollow Rd., Wellfleet.

In October 2007, the University of Massachusetts Donahue Institute, an organizational and training group operating out of the UMass President’s Office, and the New England Network for Children, Youth, and Families received funding to support the Cape Cod Youth Empowerment Initiative. This new initiative is a project of the Cape Cod Justice for Youth Collaborative, which was incubated by Judge Reardon and developed from the Barnstable County Council for Children, Youth, and Families.

For further information, contact Project Manager Steve Brown at 508-560-1189 or sbrown@donahue.umassp.edu.

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