Children & Youth Fund kicks off community design process

BALTIMORE, MD - The citizens of Baltimore will have an opportunity to participate in a historic and groundbreaking community engagement process over the next few weeks as the city's Children and Youth Fund begins to take off.

Associated Black Charities (ABC) will lead a number of public Community Design Sessions and receive input from community members that will help shape the grant-making priorities for the $12 million Baltimore City Children and Youth Fund. 

ABC, which is serving as the interim fiscal agent of the Baltimore City Children and Youth Fund, and has a commitment to racial equity and community empowerment, will begin the Fund's design process by hosting a series of community design and listening sessions across Baltimore City. During the sessions, members of the public will be invited to share their thoughts on the needs of local children and youth, and translate those needs into recommended investment priorities for the first year of grant-making. This community-centered approach will guide the operation and the priorities of the Fund over time.

All design sessions are free and open to the public. Complimentary refreshments and free childcare will be provided.

Want to attend? Design sessions will be held on the following dates:

• Saturday, March 17 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Liberty Rec & Tech Center, 3901 Main Avenue, Baltimore, MD
• Friday, March 23 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Langston Hughes Community, Business and Resource Center, 5011 Arbutus Avenue, Baltimore, MD
• Monday, April 2 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Lakeland Elementary-Middle School, 2921 Stranden Rd., Baltimore, MD

The brainchild of Baltimore City Council President Young, voters in 2016 overwhelmingly approved his charter amendment – Question E – that established a continuing, non-lapsing Children and Youth Fund to be used exclusively to provide supplemental funding to services for children and youth. The fund, a first-of-its-kind initiative for Baltimore, and one of the few dedicated youth funds in the country, established an annual multi-million dollar pot of money for youth-focused, grassroots organizations in Baltimore. ABC is serving as the interim fiscal agent charged with administering grants in the first few years, while developing a community-driven process for administering the Fund over the long-term.

“The community design sessions let the citizens determine the direction of the Children & Youth Fund. These sessions represent my vision of a community-driven democratic process and in these sessions is where the work really happens," said Council President Young. "Community engagement matters now more than ever. I encourage everyone to attend the sessions and get involved. The democratic process works best when we all participate.”  

For more information on the process and to stay up to date on the Baltimore City Children and Youth Fund, please visit www.bcyfund.org

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Please visit baltimorecitycouncil.com