| |
| Community Budget Issue Requests - Tracking Id #2161 |
| Lend a Helping Hand Mentoring Program |
| |
| Requester: |
C.Ron Allen, Founder/CEO |
Organization: |
Knights of Pythagoras Mentoring Network |
| |
| Project Title: |
Lend a Helping Hand Mentoring Program |
Date Submitted |
1/4/2008 9:56:22 AM |
| |
| Sponsors: |
Dawson |
| |
| Statewide Interest: |
| The Knights of Pythagoras Mentoring Network (KOPMN), a community-based nonprofit organization, is requesting financial support to hire qualified professionals and continue quality programs to prevent students from participating in anti-social behavior such as crime, gang involvement, school dropout, drug and alcohol use and teen pregnancy. The KOPMN and various community partners (including Palm Beach County, the School District of Palm Beach County, the Delray Beach Police Department and numerous other not-for-profit agencies and private individuals) have collaborated to provide the non-traditional program each day during the critical hours after school and all day during the summer break. The program, which has been operated by volunteers and donations for 16 years, promotes student participation in pro-social activities such as high school completion, community service, and participation in positive recreational and cultural activities, career exploration and educational field trips. |
| |
| Recipient: |
Knights of Pythagoras Mentoring Network |
|
Contact: |
C.Ron Allen, Founder/CEO |
|
| |
401 W. Atlantic Ave., Suite 9 |
|
Contact Phone: |
(561) 665-0151 |
|
| |
Delray Beach 33444 |
|
Contact email: |
c.ron@kopmn.org |
| |
| Counties: |
Palm Beach |
| |
| Gov't Entity: |
|
Private Organization (Profit/Not for Profit): |
Yes |
| |
| Project Description: |
| The Knights of Pythagoras Mentoring Network (KOPMN) is a character-building, mentoring program serving youths ages 7 to 17 in Palm Beach and Broward Counties. Through the vision and under the leadership of C.Ron Allen, a local newspaper reporter who grew tired of writing about teenage boys in the police blotter and began mentoring three boys in 1991, KOPMN has served more than 140 boys since its inception. Fourteen of those boys are either in college or have graduated from an institution of higher learning, eight are in the armed forces, three are athletic coaches in are high schools, two are in the Job Corps and one is a local mortician. The organization sponsored a girl�s component in January 2007, which has been a welcome addition to the community based on the interest among young girls. The KOPMN has partnered with the Delray Full Service Center, an alternative school for students with behavioral and academic problems, to provide a �Lend a Helping Hand� mentoring program. The need is determined by the local demographic statistics and current family waiting lists for after school programs. There are at least 75 kids on the waiting list. A majority of the participants live in the 33444 and 33445 zip code areas, which have a very high number of residents below the poverty level, according to the 2000 US Census. The program reduces the number of unsupervised children during the school year and weekdays (all day) during the summer months. A program director and seven team leaders, who bring a combination of the 200 years of experience in their respective disciplines, run the program. Local business leaders and community stakeholders also provide a full range of seminars and hands-on training between 2:30 and 6p.m. on literacy initiatives, parent enrichment classes, life skills training, etiquette training, cooking, wellness activities, self-esteem building, crime safety, youth entrepreneurial projects and mentorship. Our members also are exposed to discipline through martial arts, cultural learning, and other such activities. With a ratio of 1 to 28 students, the program will take a facilitative approach rather than an instructional one to encourage learning. The teams leaders will engage the youth, teach them new skills, provide homework assistance and serve daily as mentors. We engage them in activities and on-going relationships that increase confidence and encourage success in all areas of their lives- at home, in school, and the community. The overall objective is to reduce their likelihood of violent juvenile crime during those statistical hours, reduce the risk of truancy from school, poor grades, risk-taking behavior, substance abuse and teen pregnancy. Also we encourage their appreciation and respect towards law enforcement personnel, authority figures, and people from other cultures through interaction with them. This innovative program will allow these children to develop life skills assts for future success, respect for authority and self as well as understand the importance of giving back. |
| |
| Is this a project related to a federal or state declared disaster? |
No |
| |
| Measurable Outcome Anticipated: |
| Outcomes from the program include: 1. increased FCAT scores, grade level performance, fewer referrals/suspensions and consistent school attendance; 2. At least 80% demonstrating improvement in reading, writing, math and social skills; 3. At least 75% of the children wil have less than five unexcused abesences per quarter; 4. At least 80% participants will show an increase in their awareness and knowledge of the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse as evident by pre/post scores; 5. 90% or higher drug-free test rate for all participants in the program; 6. 50% of participants in the mentoring/truancy intervention will return to school as evident by attendance records; 7.At least 30% of the parents will support student success by cooperating with the after school program staff in solving student problems at school and in after school program and participate in program's parent mentoring as evident by attendance sheets; 8. At least 50% of the adults who access the Learning Site will access services, training or education to improve their family's well-being. |
| |
| Amount requested from the State for this project this year: |
$300,000 |
| |
| Total cost of the project: |
$575,000 |
| |
| Request has been made to fund: |
Operations |
| |
| What type of match exists for this project? |
None |
| |
Cash Amount |
$ |
|
| |
| Was this project previously funded by the state? |
|
No |
| |
| Is future-year funding likely to be requested? |
|
Yes |
|
Amount: |
$100,000 |
To Fund: |
Operations |
| |
| Was this project included in an Agency's Budget Request? |
|
No |
| |
| Was this project included in the Governor's Recommended Budget? |
No |
| |
| Is there a documented need for this project? |
Yes |
| |
Documentation: |
US Census of 2000; Florida's current national graduation ranking; waiting list of students to enroll |
| |
| Was this project request heard before a publicly noticed meeting of a body of elected officials (municipal, county, or state)? |
|
No |
| |
| Is this a water project as described in Section 403.885, Laws of Florida? |
|
No |
