Title
Arizona Community Foundation Grant Application (Ordinance S-43327)
Description
Request authorization for the City Manager, or his designee, to apply for, accept, and disburse up to $300,000 from the Arizona Community Foundation Grant to fund the Fatherhood Initiative in collaboration with the Head Start Birth to Five Program. Further request authorization for the City Manager, or his designee, to enter into a grant agreement, and for the City Treasurer to accept and the City Controller to disburse the grant funds.
Report
Summary
The City of Phoenix seeks approval to apply for up to $300,000 for three years in grant funds to implement the Fatherhood Initiative in collaboration with the Head Start Birth to Five Program. This request is to fund staffing, electronic resource management, and grant consulting to assist My Brother's Keeper (MBK) activities in the Human Services Department's Fatherhood Initiative.
Millions of American youth face gaps in opportunity that prevent them from reaching their full potential. Boys and young men of color continue to face persistent challenges in our country. African-American, Latino and Native American children are more likely to live in poverty. Two-thirds of African-American and one-third of Latino children live with one parent. Seventy-five percent of African-American and 96 percent of Latino children raised by single mothers are more likely to drop out of school.
Under the auspice of the City's MBK initiative, the pillar for school readiness identified the need for more engaged fathers as a key strategy toward making significant change. This was determined as an opportunity to strengthen outcomes for all children and provide young fathers with the skills and support to deter them from other risks. Starting in the Head Start Program, efforts will be made to recruit fathers out of peripheral roles into being more fully engaged in the education of their children.
According to the National Fatherhood Initiative, there is a crisis in America with one out of three children living without their biological father in the home (U.S. Census Bureau). Research shows that when a child is raised in a home without a father, there is a variety of affects including behavioral problems, greater likelihood to abuse drugs and alcohol, increased rates of obesity and twice as likely to drop out of high school. Research demonstrates that fathers, whether biological or adoptive, perform functions that cannot be replaced by anyone else.
The Human Services Department seeks approval to apply for up to $300,000 in grant funds to implement the Fatherhood Initiative in collaboration with the Head Start Birth to Five Program. In addition, the school sites will be supported by current Head Start caseworkers designated as liaisons.
Concurrence/Previous Council Action
The Parks, Arts, Education and Equality Subcommittee recommended approval of this item at the Jan. 25, 2017 meeting with a vote of 3-0.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Deputy City Manager Deanna Jonovich and the Human Services Department.