As previously reported by Grice Connect, Mayor Jonathan McCollar is rolling out a new initiative to help target, reach, and support the developmental needs of our “at-risk” children and their families within Statesboro: the Statesboro Village Builders Initiative.
The City held a drop-in informational session on Saturday, September 10, at the Honey Bowen Building, and Brandon Robinson was there to get all the details for those who couldn't make it. Read on for an update on the initiative and how you can get involved.
Focus Areas
The mayor is defining “at-risk” children as those living in local areas which are susceptible to continuing cycles of generational poverty and criminal activity. McCollar’s team has put together the initiative to help focus on the educational development and sustainability needs of these children and their families long-term.
The four areas which the initiative will focus on are:
- Food security and clothing
- Healthcare
- Mentorship
- Literacy
By supplying each of these targeted areas with the proper resources and support, local at-risk children have a greater chance of uprooting themselves out of their immobilizing circumstances over time.
As reported by the City of Statesboro’s website, nearly 42% of Statesboro residents lived below the federal poverty line in 2019. Poverty is a disquieting circumstance which must be tackled holistically to have it significantly reduced over time. McCollar and the Youth Commission knows this quite well and are soliciting community support by encouraging participation in their various fall events.
Volunteer opportunities
One of the events in which the community can participate in is a door-to-door canvassing within the five at-risk zones in Statesboro. The intention of this event is to spread information of the initiative to the zone’s residents and gain support for the work which will be done towards advancing the progression of their children and families.
Another ongoing event will be various “Mobile Resource Days,” which will have volunteers passing out food, clothes, and literature to children and families in the at-risk zones to help supply them with daily essentials.
Another important event will be a zone “Clean-Up” day which will have volunteers supporting the zone residents by tidying-up and maintaining the visual appeal of their zone’s neighborhood areas.
The Village Builders initiative looks to provide a wonderful opportunity to those looking to support our at-risk youth and communities. Further ways one may participate are through “Adopting-a-Village,” becoming a resource partner, or even applying to become a Program Coordinator, if qualified and while the job opening remains.
If you are interested in learning more on how you can make a lasting impact in the lives of our at-risk children and their families, visit https://www.statesboroga.gov/villagebuilders for more information.