City Parks Foundation Free Arts and Education Programming for at-risk youth and families

The OJJDP FY 09 Earmarks Programs further the Department's mission by providing grants, cooperative agreements, and other assistance authorized by the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974, as amended, to organizations identified in the Explanatory Statement Regarding H.R. 1105 (Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009), 155 Cong. Rec. H1653 (daily ed. Feb. 23, 2009) (statement by Rep. Obey, Chairman of the Committee on Appropriations of the House).

Children of the 12th Congressional District, who live in the under-resourced communities of Red Hook Brooklyn, New York City and the Lower East Side of Manhattan, New York City, do not have access to sufficient in-school and out-of-school programming activities. As a result, these kids are at higher risk for dropping out of school or falling victim to drugs or gang activity. City Parks Foundation (CPF) addresses these communities' need for positive youth activities by providing children with free arts, sports and education programs in their local parks, playgrounds, schools and recreation centers. With the assistance of Federal funding through the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, CPF will offer at-risk youth free arts and education programming in neighborhood parks in the 12th Congressional District of New York. These free programs offer children unique learning opportunities, physical activities, lessons in life skills and cultural experiences. In addition, CPF's programming helps develop a positive connection between program participants and their local parks by offering children programs that would not otherwise be offered in their own neighborhood. All together, City Parks Foundation's programs offer kids real alternatives to the dangers of the streets.

NCA/NCF