|
Washington, D.C. – Congressman Pete Visclosky today announced that the Boys & Girls Clubs of Northwest Indiana and the collaborative effort Community Organizations for Families and Youth (COFFY) have received a $500,000 grant for the “Community of Mentors Support Program.” Boys & Girls Clubs of Northwest Indiana, along with the COFFY partners Legacy Foundation, Inc., Edgewater Systems for Balanced Living, and Student African American Brotherhood Association, will improve their mentoring program by enhancing the training and support available to mentors so that they are equipped to create and maintain lasting relationships with their mentees.
“Mentors are positive role models who empower kids to succeed in school and in life,” said Visclosky. “I believe that every child deserves the opportunity to get a decent education, and I appreciate the way mentors enable their mentees to engage in constructive activities, focus on their studies, and get ahead in life. Many children in Northwest Indiana will benefit from this program, and I commend the Boys and Girls Clubs of Northwest Indiana and COFFY for their positive impact on our community.”
The goal of this program’s collective effort is to fill the gap for numerous “at risk” children, ages 10-17, who do not have a safe place with caring adult guidance to help them transition from childhood to adulthood. An emphasis will be placed on the percent of mentors successfully completing training, the percent of trained mentors with increased knowledge of the program area, and the rate of mentor retention. Boys and Girls Clubs of Northwest Indiana, as the fiscal agent, will utilize funding with its partners to focus on providing support and training opportunities for mentors to create and maintain lasting relationships with program participants and caring adults.
“Research indicates that children become more successful when they have guidance from a caring adult – especially guidance from a caring adult relationship that lasts longer than one year,” states Lincoln D. Ellis, president and CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Northwest Indiana. “The funding we just received will allow our organization, plus several COFFY partnering agencies, to work on connecting youth and adults together to maintain a lasting relationship that will not only benefit a child – but the adult mentor as well. We are thrilled that our program was recognized as valuable by the Department of Justice.”
Boys & Girls Clubs of Northwest Indiana was founded in 1954 in Gary, Indiana. Currently, the organization operates six Club sites in cities throughout Lake County, Indiana, including Lake Station, Hammond, Gary, East Chicago, Cedar Lake, and Merrillville. Serving more than 10,000 youth annually, 6 to 18 years of age, the organization provides programs that promote and enhance the positive development of boys and girls. The core beliefs of the organization, Board of Directors, staff, and donors are that all Club sites provide youth with a safe place to learn and grow, teach youth to develop interpersonal relationships, provide youth with life-enhancing programs and character and development experiences and, last but not least, continue to provide youth with hope and opportunity. For more information visit www.bgcnwi.org.
Community Organizations for Families and Youth (COFFY) is an operating, loosely configured, action-oriented and powerful body that oversees a boundless large group that aids, secures and empowers families and youth. As a committed group of empowering social service agencies, COFFY’s common goal is to build a strong foundation and capacity to serve youth and families residing in Gary, Indiana. Its mission is to maintain a network of community organizations providing opportunities that lead to the healthy transformation of Gary, Indiana, through interactive services for youth and families. For more information visit www.coffy.org. |
|
|
