Area agencies win grants to offer guidance to at-risk youth

MONTGOMERY – Four area agencies are among nine statewide to share more than $757,000 to help young people lead productive lives.

Gov. Kay Ivey announced nine grants totaling $757,836 have been awarded to organizations that offer mentoring, job training and other services.

The grants will fund programs that focus on providing life skills to help at-risk youth avoid or recover from involvement with the juvenile justice system.

“Without positive influences in their lives, young people can be led down a path of destructive decisions and wasted potential,” Ivey said. “I commend these organizations for their work to guide children in a positive direction.”

The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs is administering the grants from funds made available by the U.S. Department of Justice.

“These programs focus on prevention, recovery and education for at-risk youth,” ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell said. “ADECA joins Gov. Ivey in support of these services that help young people learn to lead healthy and prosperous lives.”

Below are grants to local agencies that provide direct services to youth:

• St. Clair County Day Program – $51,189 to the Guide Lead Advance and Discover program, which combines therapeutic services with guidance and career readiness training for high-risk adolescents in St. Clair County.
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Shoals Inc. – $63,203 to fund a dedicated staff member to serve as the family relations and match support specialist for the organization, which serves Colbert, Franklin and Lauderdale counties.
• Extended Family – $100,000 to continue to provide the character development programs Extended Family for Kids and Extended Family Leadership Academy in DeKalb and Etowah counties.
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Tennessee Valley – $66,942 for the Pathways to Prevention Program, which trains high school students to serve as mentors for elementary school students in Madison County.

ADECA administers a wide range of programs that support law enforcement, victim programs, economic development, water resource management, energy conservation and recreation.