December 2, 2004
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Candy Eaton, Program Director

“Keeping Kids On Track has mini-grants available for youth activities”

Keeping Kids on Track is seeking to provide financial and moral support for the creation or expansion of programs that actively involve youth ages 10-14 in communities around Eastern Maine that address the following outcome: Increased skills and assets in youth. Youth ages 10-14 and their families have the supports and skills they need to accept and take personal responsibility, plan and make good choices, resist negative peer pressure and decrease vulnerability to dangerous situations.

Research shows that increasing these skills in youth help to address a wide range of concerns. Our intention is to have impact on some of the most critical issues in Eastern Maine,including youth substance abuse and family violence, which fare substantially worse than the rest of the nation. For example, Eastern Maine youth are using increasingly dangerous substances, including heroin and prescription drugs, leading to faster addiction and increased negative outcomes. In addition, the long-term negative impact of children/youth growing up in a home with violence is well documented. With Maine statistics showing that at least 50% of homicides are casued by domestic violence, the need to counter the violence message is crucial. Finally, by increasing these skills in children and youth, juvenile crime and violence, teen pregnancy, school drop out rates and post secondary attainment will also be positively affected. Programs which encourage increased self-responsibility, good decision making, resistance to negative peer pressure and increased ability to resist dangerous situations may qualify for funding.

Adolescence is a time of accelerated growth and change second only to infancy. The events of this crucially formative phase can shape an individual’s life course, which in turn can impact the future of our society. Early adolescence, encompassing ages 10 to 14, is an age of particular vulnerability. It is a time when young people explore risk-taking behaviors. It is a time before damaging patterns are firmly established. It is a time when it is important to intervene early to prevent problems that can last a lifetime.

Keeping Kids on Track is a program of the United Way of Eastern Maine. Through additional support of Hannaford, each local KKOT committee will have the opportunity to award up to $2500 to new or existing community groups whose purpose fit the goals of the Keeping Kids on Track initiative. In Hancock County, we have two Keeping Kids on Track committees – each with a total of $2500 available for local projects. Contact Candy Eaton at the Ellsworth Area Communities for Children for projects in the greater Ellsworth Area at 667-5304, ext. 261; and contact Vanessa Preble at Healthy Acadia for projects on Mount Desert Island and surrounding communities at 288-5331.

Applications are available at the Downeast Family YMCA; from Hancock County Children’s Council at 667-5304 ext. 261, or by writing KKOT c/o Ellsworth Area Communities for Children, Downeast Health Services, P.O. Box 1087, Ellsworth, ME 04605. All applications must be submitted by January 31, 2005 for considering during this cycle of funding.

Guidelines for applications require that programs work to meet the United Way’s Community Outcome: Youth ages 10-14 and their families have the supports and skills they need to accept and take personal responsibility, plan and make good choices, resist negative peer pressure and decrease vulnerability to dangerous situations. “Camperships” or scholarships for summer camp programs will not be considered for funding. Funding for school supplies or the supplementing of school classes or existing programs will not be considered for funding. Programs must mention KKOT and United Way of Eastern Maine in all marketing and publicity.

Jamie Wood, Chair and teen resident of Hancock, invites students ages 10-14 attending school in Ellsworth and School Union 92 to join our Keeping Kids on Track committee. Members of our committee include a mix of students and adults participating in the Ellsworth Area Communities for Children and Youth initiative. We are seeking additional students to attend the next KKOT committee meeting to be held at the Downeast Family YMCA on February 11, 2005, at 4:00 pm, to review all applications and make recommendations for local funding to the United Way of Eastern Maine.

The Keeping Kids on Track program has funded over 111 local programs all around Eastern Maine since its inception in 1998. From teen centers to skate parks and theater programs, middle school youth have had expanded choices because of KKOT mini-grants. Local activities funded in the past have included a Positive Male Role Model program, “Weaving Connections”, after-school activities, girl’s empowerment groups and two community playgrounds.

Candy Eaton, Program Director
Hancock County Children's Council, a program of
Downeast Health Services Inc., and the
Ellsworth Area Communities for Children & Youth
52 Christian Ridge Road, PO Box 1087
Ellsworth, ME 04605-1087
207-667-5304 ext. 261
children@downeasthealth.org