Award Information
Description of original award (Fiscal Year 2009, $500,000)
This grant program is authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5) (the 'Recovery Act'). Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention made awards to support local organizations that develop, implement, or expand local mentoring programs leading to measurable, positive outcomes for at-risk youth. This program furthers the Department's mission by enhancing the capacity of local mentoring programs to develop and implement mentoring strategies to reduce juvenile delinquency and prevent violence.
The BIG RALLY (Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Louisiana Recovery Act Local Louisiana Youth) mentoring project serves 250 children (ages 6 ' 17) who are at-risk or of high-risk of juvenile delinquency in Ouachita and Lincoln Parishes (counties) in northeastern Louisiana (LA). Activities to be implemented include a high quality mentoring program grounded in the evidence-based model of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. Also included are a career engagement/leadership academy and school-based counseling. Implementing the project is Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Louisiana (BBBS of NELA), a program of the applicant, The Wellspring Alliance for Families, Inc. Projects goals and objectives address the economic benefits referenced above plus short term benefits of increasing the number of at risk and highest risk students served by an evidence-based program, student academic performance and school engagement, and better relationships with peers. Intermediate benefits include reduced juvenile delinquency and stronger economic well being for the service area.
This award will retain 1.55 jobs and create 1.45 jobs; thus the project achieves the Recovery Act objective of promoting economic recovery by preserving or creating jobs.
CA/NCF