At-risk youth program shut down
By Mary Drier
Staff Writer
TUSCOLA COUNTY — A program designed to help working parents and at-risk youths was cut, adding pressure to struggling families.
Tuscola County Human Development Commission’s (HDC) “before and after school care program” at the Generations – Mary Ann Vandemark building at 430 Montague Ave., Caro, was eliminated in January.
Besides providing a safe environment for children and care services, the youths in the program also occasionally interacted with those in the adult day-care program housed in another part of the building.
Congressman Dale Kildee, who strongly supported the program, wasn’t able to ensure funding for it to continue.
The money for the program was “earmarked funds,” and that term has gotten a bad name, explained HDC Executive Director Lori Offenbecher.
“The program received $100,000 from the Department of Juvenile Justice for at-risk youth,” she said, noting there weren’t enough other funds to continue offering the service. “Stopping the funding pulled the rug out from under us.”
Although necessary, without that federal funding the program cannot afford to operate.
“About 50 children used the program every day, and in the summer there were about 100 at-risk youths,” said Offenbecher. “We’ve worked with those families to try to help them find other alternatives.
“We are very saddened by having to close that program.”
Six staff members were laid off because of that.
However, Offenbecher noted the adult day-care program is still being offered, and the plan is to still do occasional interaction between the two generations.
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Hooray, less government, more prison cells, more private prison industries. Investment time!
Call or write your state legislators and demand prison labor manufacturing jobs be developed in the United States, if it’s good enough for China’s manufacturing centers, it’s good enough for US. Bring manufacturing back to Michigan and Michigan’s private prison industries.
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I really wish the Advertiser would of put a little more effort into this article. This article is leading people to believe that Generations was for children who were at rick for being part of the juvenile justice program or as most people see it delinquents, which was not the case. Anyone can make a phone call and write exactly what people tell you. I wish you would have actually looked into the program and asked about it but I guess that does not look at good in print as “At Risk Youths”
The only thing that put these children at risk is that SOME of them had parents who are low income so they are at risk of being left with someone who is not qualified or left alone.
Generations was by far the best before and after school program I found in the area. They were more than willing to accept my child with disabilities and learn how to make him succeed. The staff was the like our extended family. This was an educational program for school aged children and not a romper room like so may other places. I can only hope we as a community can find a way to bring the program back for summer.
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