Grants funded by settlements with national banks for alleged misconduct in the national financial markets

WILMINGTON, Del. – The following is an excerpt from Governor Carney’s remarks on Monday at H. Fletcher Brown Boys and Girls Club for an announcement of more than $900,000 in funding for 16 organizations to provide summer and afterschool programs for teens and youth in economically disadvantaged areas of Delaware:

“Certainly, we know that collaboration and partnership is an important part of making our communities safer, strengthening our communities, and strengthening the economy across our state. And when I think about the problems and challenges that we have here in the state of Delaware, they’re all connected. And at the root of those connections are creating stronger families, stronger communities in which those families live, and better educating and supporting our young people so they can be our workforce of tomorrow. We have to commit ourselves to work together in partnership to deal with the real source of those problems. We aren’t going to be successful as a state– we’re not going to be successful as a city– unless we prepare these children to be successful.”

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Additional information about the grants can be found here.
Photos from the announcement can be found here.
Funds for the grants were allocated to the Neighborhood Building Blocks Fund by the Department of Justice, with the agreement of the General Assembly’s Joint Finance Committee, from settlements with national banks for alleged misconduct in the national financial markets. The NBBF, which gave priority to smaller dollar requests, awarded grants to:

• Latin American Community Center – $5000 for a soccer league for 20 at-risk youth age 12-16 in Hilltop area of Wilmington
• YWCA of Delaware – $17,589 for a Summer Internship Teen Empowerment program to provide exposure for youth with a number of major employers
• Jewish Family Services of Delaware – $20,592 for Pre-Employment Training Services for at-risk youth in Wilmington
• FAME Inc. – $25,000 for STEM education for students in grades 3-6 during out-of-school hours in Wilmington
• Western Family YMCA – $30,470 for after school and community events for teens in Newark
• New Horizons Community Center – $34,500 for martial arts and work readiness for juveniles and teens in Wilmington
• Dover YMCA – $42,275 for its Young Men Mentoring Program for 30 boys age 10-15 on healthy lifestyles and employment skills training in Dover
• Dover Police – $43,903 for basketball, flag football and hockey programs for Dover city youth
• Central YMCA – $43,025 for a summer activity program for 75 teens in Wilmington
• Bear YMCA – $45,080 for summer activities for 75 at-risk teens in Route 40 area
• Walnut Street YMCA – $45,315 for teen engagement for 200 8th and 9th graders in Wilmington
• Delaware Nature Society – $48,394 for an environmental after-school club for 30 students
• Be Ready Community Development Corp. – $49,400 to provide stipends to 24 youth to engage in neighborhood beautification and construction projects in West Center City Wilmington
• Pathways of Delaware – $81,986 for its Youth Health Ambassador Program to prevent youth delinquency
• Dover Housing Authority – $136,500 to provide exercise equipment at Simon Circle community center staffed by military and police volunteers
• Boys and Girls Club – $250,000 for summer and after-school activities for approximately 1000 teens in 5 locations: Wilmington (2 sites), Dover, Milford and Seaford

Wilmington – The Delaware Children’s Department is releasing up to $200,000 worth of mini grants so that organizations statewide can apply for funds to offer end of summer and after school programming aimed at violence and suicide prevention. The mini grants are being administered by the Division of Prevention and Behavioral Health Services (PBHS), under the Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families (DSCYF). Funds to support expanded youth mental health services were part of Governor Jack Markell’s FY 14 Budget proposal and were fully funded under the FY 14 Budget just passed by the General Assembly.

“Many of our young people are in need constructive activities outside of school,” said Governor Markell. “This funding provides opportunities for positive social interactions and learning new skills, while also addressing the mental health needs of our youth and ensuring their overall safety and well-being.”

“We know that after-school and summer programs have many positive impacts on the kids that participate, including improved performance and better behavior in school. These grants are an important part of our effort to improve the overall well-being of Delaware’s children,” said Lt. Governor Matt Denn who spearheaded the initiative.

Two point two million dollars in overall funding was approved to support targeted prevention programs. The mini grants will be available for use between August and December. PBHS plans to make larger, more comprehensive grants which will run from October 2013 through June 2014, available in August. DSCYF Cabinet Secretary Jennifer Ranji said the mini grants will provide immediate support for organizations.

“We chose to roll out a portion of the funding through mini grants now, to allow organizations to take immediate advantage of the resources that have just been made available. We are looking forward to working with our community partners in this prevention effort.”

Applicants can request funding for programs that address suicide and/or violence prevention. The programming and/or activities may be academic, cultural, artistic, or agricultural in nature, and activities may occur in community centers, faith-based institutions, and educational settings. The primary targeted population is youth and their families, where “youth” is defined as individuals 18 years of age and younger.

Public, private non-profit agencies; public or private colleges and universities; faith-based organizations; local school districts; and city and county governments in New Castle, Kent, and Sussex Counties are eligible to apply.

Grant applications can be found online at www.kids.delaware.gov/phbs/pbhs.shtml or by calling Deanna Watson at (302) 633-2586; or emailing her at Deanna.Watson@delaware.gov.
The Children’s Department provides services to children who have been abused, neglected, are dependent, have mental health or substance problems, have been adjudicated delinquent by the Courts, as well as prevention services targeted toward all youth. For more information, please visit www.kids.delaware.gov.