Amount Requested: $350,000
The requested funding will be used for towards training staff, volunteers and peer leaders, implementing the curriculum, recognition and graduations ceremonies including: personnel expenses; professional fees for motivational speakers and evaluators; equipment, materials and supplies; field trips; national and in-service training for staff and volunteers; outreach and recruitment; publicity; community events; certificates; African drums and regalia.

Much data exists that documents the correlation between youth crime and those hours when youth are out of school and unsupervised.  The prevalence of drugs and alcohol abuse, teen violence and other at risk behaviors has become a major negative influence on the youth of the city of Newburgh, NY.  To provide a Safe Haven,  BGCN proposes to serve 300 at-risk males and females residing in Newburgh, age 11-18 who are being raised in predominately single-headed households with no father present.  For 150 young men, the “Passport to Manhood Program” (PTM) will provide: individual counseling, parent engagement and a curriculum addresses several key areas of development while stressing and promoting positive values and behaviors.  For 150 young women, we will provide “Smart Moves: skills, mastery, and resistance training.”  Keeping youth engaged in these positive, supervised activities after school and weekends will reduce likelihood they will engage in crime, violence, use of guns and drugs and other at risk behaviors. Upon completion of training, the evolved critical mass and community of older males as role models and youth service providers will complete the following: establish values and principles for the program, identify the educational, moral and physical (hands-on) aspects of the program; identify further activities which will serve to reinforce values and practice of values; identify community resources for the continuum of the project; develop jobs and enhance the employability of volunteers and peer mentors in youth-serving occupations.