Justice Dept. Awards $$$ to Support At Risk Youth

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder today announced more than $129 million in Recovery Act and Fiscal Year 2009 funds have been awarded for mentoring services to help prevent at-risk youth from becoming involved in delinquency. The grants will also preserve and create jobs throughout the United States.

“The Recovery Act has allowed us to invest further in the future of today’s youth by providing mentoring opportunities to help children reach their full potential,” said Attorney General Holder. “These grants will help steer young people away from criminal activities by providing them with healthy life alternatives, positive role models and direct contact with caring adults.”

The Recovery Act, signed into law by President Obama, provides the Office of Justice Programs’ Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) with more than $85 million for national mentoring programs to reduce juvenile delinquency, violence, gang participation, school failure and dropout rates. The Recovery Act National Mentoring award recipients are:

· The Boys and Girls Clubs of America, Atlanta, Ga. ($44,400,000)

· Goodwill Industries International, Rockville, Md. ($19,160,337)

· Public/Private Ventures, Philadelphia, Pa. ($17,829,110)

· National Association of Police Athletic Activities Leagues Inc., Jupiter, Fla. ($3,700,000)

The statutes appropriating funds for Fiscal Year 2009 authorize OJJDP’s National Mentoring Programs initiative. The awards of more than $44 million were made to programs that target underserved and at-risk youth. The Fiscal Year 2009 National Mentoring award recipients are:

· Home Builders Institute, Washington, D.C. ($9,949,890)

· The Milton S. Eisenhower Foundation, Washington, D.C. ($9,093,440)

· YouthBuild USA, Somerville, Mass. ($8,840,914)

· Young Men’s Christian Association, San Francisco, Calif. ($7,129,327)

· The Institute for Educational Leadership, Washington, D.C. ($3,496,766)

· Nazarene Compassionate Ministries, Inc., Lenexa, Kan. ($3,251,170)

· The Experience Corps, Washington, D.C. ($2,762,022)

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OJP provides federal leadership in developing the nation’s capacity to prevent and control crime, administer justice and assist victims. OJP has five component bureaus: the Bureau of Justice Assistance; the Bureau of Justice Statistics; the National Institute of Justice; the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention; and the Office for Victims of Crime. Additionally, OJP has two program offices: the Community Capacity Development Office, which incorporates the Weed and Seed strategy, and the Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking (SMART). More information can be found at www.ojp.gov.