Special to Atmore News
The Escambia County Children’s Policy Council (CPC) announced this week that it has received grants totaling $105,000.00 to implement programs in the Atmore community.
Karean L. Reynolds, the CPC’s executive director, said he submitted competing applications with the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs and Alabama Department of Abuse and Neglect to secure funding to address issues in the Atmore area, where youth suffer from barriers that include socio-economic disadvantages, lack of resources and several factors that negatively affect the community.
“I believe that these programs will offer opportunities and motivate our youth to set goals and work hard to achieve them,” Reynolds said. “It has been a goal of mine for years to secure resources that will benefit the community and provide opportunities. This funding will provide a youth drop-in center where youth will be able to access the internet and receive tutoring, drug awareness, mentoring services, youth resources, counseling, sexual abuse prevention, healthy alternatives to high risk behaviors and several other services.
“This program is vital and necessary, as it will add an extra level of protection to our youth and help deter them from the criminal justice system,” said Escambia County Juvenile Judge Eric Coale.