Mayor Linda Gorton today announced the city will provide first-ever violence prevention grants to 16 public schools in Fayette County.
The $500 and $1,000 ONE Lexington grants will be given to the Family Resource and Youth Services Centers. Family support programs are offered through the centers to help children who are encountering barriers to educational success. The centers provide support in basic needs, school attendance, social skills, and crisis response.
“We want all of our children to have the opportunity to succeed in school,” Gorton said. “Children who live in a home experiencing trauma related to violence need extra support.”
Devine Carama, Director of ONE Lexington, said, “I believe that our community does its best for our youth when the school system, parents, and community partners work together to serve them. This grant opportunity not only leverages funding to schools in areas most affected by gun violence, it promotes collaboration between city government and Fayette County Public Schools. Family Resource & Youth Services Centers have the pulse of what students need, and we look forward to working with them to better serve students and families.”
Ciera Bowman, Family Resource Youth Services Center coordinator at Henry Clay High School, said, “This opportunity will help us increase services and unique interventions to youth most impacted by the trauma of violence. With this grant, the centers will be able to continue and expand services for each community's unique needs. Specifically, at Henry Clay, I’ll be collaborating with other high schools centers and community partners to host youth summits to educate, empower and listen to the concerns and perspectives of students in our communities. This donation represents more than just money. It represents the support our youth need within our community, within their schools, and wherever they can be reached.”
The 10 schools getting $1,000 grants are Lexington Traditional Magnet School, Winburn Middle School, Bryan Station Middle School, Crawford Middle School, Tates Creek Middle School, Henry Clay High School, Paul Laurence Dunbar High School, Frederick Douglass High School, The Learning Center, and Martin Luther King Jr. Academy.
The six schools getting $500 grants are William Wells Brown Elementary School, Booker T. Washington Elementary School, Arlington Elementary School, Mary Todd Elementary School, Deep Springs Elementary and Rosa Parks Elementary School.
One Lexington, in partnership with the Community Action Council, is also providing grants to community partners involved in violence prevention. “There are people in the community who have been doing this work for many years as volunteers,” Gorton said. “This grant program allows us to benefit from their experience, and reach more young people.”
Carama said the city allocated $50,000 to support the Gun Violence Prevention Grant Program. The Community Recipients of grants will receive up to $7,500. Grant applications are being assessed by Community Action Council. The grants are expected to be awarded later this month.
