Big Brothers Big Sisters announces mentoring district in Eastern North Philadelphia
Big Brothers Big Sisters has announced a city and state partnership to create a “mentoring district” in Eastern North Philadelphia.
The organization’s Southeastern Pennsylvania chapter will work with the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency and the Philadelphia Department of Human Services to provide 157 kids in the area with mentors.
“The designated area, including the 24th, 25th, and 26th Police Districts, has been identified in recent studies as needing additional community support,” reads the BBBS announcement.
“Assessments completed by BBBS SEPA and DHS have shown that children in this poverty-stricken part of the city are subject to risk factors that affect healthy development. These factors include low levels of parental involvement, family conflict, and being at risk of dropping out of school.”
Those police districts rank the third, fifth and 14th in the city’s major crimes and require more attention from DHS.
The two-year, grant-funded initiative will initially target 157 seven- to 17-year-olds. Matches will be made for 107 children in the first year and 50 more children in the second year.
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