Gov. Doug Ducey recently announced he’s investing more than $2 million in federal COVID-19 relief funding to support programs for Arizona children and parents.
A one-year program at Boys & Girls Clubs statewide that will provide kids and teens with critical life and social-emotional skill training was given $1 million. Teaching youth how to understand their emotions and how to handle them is especially important during the pandemic and the feelings of insecurity and safety fears it brought for many kids, said Josh Stine, the alliance's director.
“We had kids that were secluding themselves coming into the clubs," he said. "They were having a hard time opening up, talking to the other kids, and we found that by getting them into these types of programs it really allowed them to start opening back up, feel comfortable having that safety net.”
The funds will help the alliance pay for developing curricula, equipment such as computers and tablets and staff salaries and allow the clubs to reach an estimated 5,000 youth at their sites or through partner community organizations and school districts, Stine added.
Ducey is also putting $1.25 million toward the creation of a mentorship program for vulnerable youths at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arizona, as well as half a million dollars for a parent training program by the Black Mothers Forum.
