AGENDA 4d

 

MEMORANDUM

 

TO:                  Mayor and Town Council

 

FROM:            W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager

 

SUBJECT:       Response to Petition for Funding from North Carolina Minority Youth and Family Resource Center, Inc.

 

DATE:            March 5, 2001

 

 

The purpose of this memorandum is to present recommendations regarding a petition from Ms. Michelle Cotton for funding in the amount of $2,500 from the Town of Chapel Hill to coordinate and conduct two community forums for African American and Latino/Hispanic youth and families in Orange County.

 

The attached resolution would refer the petition from the North Carolina Minority Youth and Family Resource Center to the Human Services Advisory Board to review as part of the existing process for consideration of human service proposals. 

 

BACKGROUND

 

On January 8, Ms. Michelle Cotton of the North Carolina Minority Youth and Family Resource Center, Inc. presented a petition to the Town Council. The petition requested $2,500 to fund two community forums for African American and Hispanic/Latino youth to discuss issues that concern minority youth and their families. The petition was referred to the Human Services Advisory Board for review.

 

DISCUSSION

 

The North Carolina Minority Youth and Family Resource Center, Inc. (The Center) is a private nonprofit agency with the mission of providing effective leadership, advocacy and services that promote the needs and interests of African American, Latino/Hispanic and Native American youth and families in North Carolina. The Center plans a statewide project to work with minority youth and families to address problems such as poor educational achievement, school dropout, juvenile delinquency and mental health problems that are effecting minority youth at a higher rate than their peers. The forums are intended to provide youth, parents and community participants an opportunity to voice issues, explore solutions, and provide education on issues that concern minority youth. The Center's proposal to the Town requests funds to coordinate two forums in Orange County including the Hargraves Center in Chapel Hill as the first proposed site. Specific objectives for the two forums are included in the proposal. A copy of the complete proposal is included in an attachment.

 

Ms. Cotton was provided information about the Town's process for requesting funds for human service programs and was given an application for this fiscal year. Ms. Cotton was invited to a January 17 meeting held jointly by Orange County, the Town of Carrboro and the Town of Chapel Hill to discuss the funding process for human services.

 

The Human Services Advisory Board reviewed the petition and discussed the proposal on February 5, 2001, at their regular monthly meeting. The attached memorandum from the Chair of the Human Services Advisory Board presents their response to the petition.

 

Human Services Advisory Board's Recommendation: The Human Services Advisory Board reviewed the petition on February 5, 2001. The Board agreed unanimously to recommend that the North Carolina Minority Youth and Family Resource Center, Inc. submit their request through the Town's request for proposal process for nonprofit human service agencies.

 

Manager's Recommendation: That the Council refer the proposal from the North Carolina Minority Youth and Family Resource Center to the Human Services Advisory Board as part of the existing process for review of nonprofit human service requests for funding. 

 

ATTACHMENTS

 

1.                  Memorandum from the Human Services Advisory Board (p. 4).

2.                  North Carolina Minority Youth and Families in North Carolina proposal for funding submitted to the Town Council on January 8, 2001(p. 5).

3.                  Copy of Brochure form the North Carolina Minority Youth and Family Resource Center (p. 11).

4.                  Letter from Senator Howard Lee, January 8, 2001 (p.13).

 

A RESOLUTION REFERRING THE PETITION FROM THE NORTH CAROLINA MINORITY YOUTH AND FAMILY RESOURCE CENTER TO THE HUMAN SERVICES ADVISORY BOARD (2001-03-05/R-6)

 

WHEREAS, the Town of Chapel Hill has received a request from the North Carolina Minority Youth and Family Resource Center for funding for two youth forums to be held in Orange County; and

 

WHEREAS, the Town has a process for human service agencies to submit applications for funding to support programs for residents of the Town of Chapel Hill;

 

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the petition from the North Carolina Minority Youth and Family Resource Center shall be referred to the Human Services Advisory Board for consideration upon receipt of the standard application for human service funding.

 

This the 5^th day of March, 2001.