Oneida County Youth Investment Initiative Awards $450,000 to Eight OrganizationsView

The Oneida County Youth Investment Initiative awarded more than $450,000 to eight local organizations supporting programs that address the unique needs and challenges of at-risk youth and provide meaningful services designed to reduce youth violence throughout the county.

A partnership between Oneida County and the Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida Counties, the initiative supports programs that foster positive youth development, strengthen family and community connections, and reduce factors that may contribute to violence. The following collaborative and innovative programs involving nonprofits, schools, law enforcement and local government agencies received a total of $453,326 in grant funding:

• Blacque Acres - STEAM Forward: Hands-on STEAM programming that helps young people develop technical, social and emotional skills while connecting them with positive adult mentors and peers.
• Boy Scouts of America Leatherstocking Council - Exploring: Five exploring posts and clubs will be established across Rome, Greater Utica and New Hartford, providing youth with opportunities for career exploration, leadership development, mentorship, and community engagement.
• Central New York Health Home Network - Growing Together: This initiative supports at-risk youth and their primary caregivers simultaneously, creating a support system that helps interrupt cycles of trauma, strengthen household stability and promote community-wide safety.
• Genesis Group - Dolly Parton's Imagination Library Book Program: Supports early childhood literacy and positive family connections by providing books to children from birth through age five and encouraging caregivers to read, ask questions and interact with their children at home.
• Helio Health - Youth & Family Resilience: Connects at-risk youth and their caregivers with prevention-focused services before challenges escalate while addressing barriers such as transportation, competing family demands, communication gaps among schools, families and providers and limited follow-up support.
• Hillside Children's Center - H.E.R. & H.I.M. Violence Prevention & Mentorship Initiative: Expands mentoring and violence prevention programming for students at Thomas R. Proctor High School with sessions focused on conflict resolution, emotional wellness, healthy relationships and leadership development.
• Hope Chapel - Utica REACH: Provides hundreds of students with safe, year-round activities, supportive adult mentorships and peer relationships and opportunities to build communication, leadership, conflict-resolution and problem-solving skills.
• Town of Forestport - Forestport Youth Program: Delivers structured, skill-building activities for school-aged youth in rural town of Forestport during the critical afterschool hours when the risks of youth violence and unsupervised activity are highest.

Programs that received funding were required to align with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Youth Violence Prevention Resource for Action Guide which represents a select group of strategies to help communities sharpen their approach to prevention. The strategies outlined in the guide are intended to impact individual behaviors and the relationships, families, schools and communities that influence risk and protective factors for youth.

"Every young person in Oneida County deserves the opportunity to succeed in a safe, supportive environment and this initiative is about making that investment in their future," said Oneida County Executive Anthony J. Picente Jr. "In partnering with the Community Foundation, this county-created and led program will strengthen nonprofit organizations and community stakeholders that provide mentorship, guidance and positive opportunities for at-risk youth while addressing the root causes of youth violence. These investments will help build stronger neighborhoods, safer communities and brighter futures for the next generation."

"This initiative reflects a shared commitment between Oneida County and the Community Foundation to invest in the well-being and future of our youth," said Community Foundation President/CEO Alicia Dicks. "We know that lasting impact happens through collaboration, and we're proud to assist Oneida County in launching this initiative that will create positive pathways, strengthen families and communities, and provide youth with the support they need to succeed."

Visit foundationhoc.org/youthinvestment to learn more.

Videostream from today's press conference: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1QWcnfku8c/