HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0676.003 2004-2006 Beth Mehau/ Program Coordinator
North Hawaii Drug-Free Coalition
March 13, 2006
Councilman Fred Holschuh,
Chair of the Nonprofit Grant Review Committee
Committee Members,
Dear Councilman Holschuh,
I have been working closely in the area of treatment and prevention in the
Honoka'a area over the last year and a half. One of the biggest problems I see
daily are the children who are being un supervised and often neglected because
parents have to work several jobs just to make ends meet. The YWCA Youth
Center provides a supervised, safe place for youth to meet. They are given
Internet access to help them complete homework, snacks and mentorship
support. I believe that the community involvement that has been sparked over
the recent closing of the centers doors has sent a clear message to our youth
that they are not invisible and they belong to a community that cares.
Many of the students attending the center stated in the YWCA survey that
if they did not have this place to go to they would revert back to boredom and
drug use. This statement troubles me because it means we still have a lot of
work to do. The fact that many of these youth have already engage in drug use
means that we are providing services to a high risk group. I think that the
mentorship connections youth are making at the center is going to greatly impact
their lives for the long run. It has been proven time and time again that if a youth
can bond with at least one adult they are much more likely to succeed in life.
I urge you and the committee to please strongly consider keeping the center
doors open through a grant from your offices.
Mahalo for your consideration,
Beth Anthony Mehau
Program Coordinator
North Hawaii Drug-Free Coalition _
887.0756
Comm. No. ~ •
Ref. To;
Raf. Dote
1