White Plains, New York
Overview
With the help of an active PTA and youth-serving organizations such as Project Trust and Step Up, children and adolescents are given the support they need to flourish. For the past 40 years, the White Plains Youth Bureau has served as a formal branch of government, providing financial support and policy initiatives to aid youth. With 26 full-time and 150 part-time employees, the agency will likely become the largest youth bureau in New York state. The Step Up program provides support to young at-risk African-American and Hispanic men and helps them get back on track. Graduates of the Step Up program have achieved a 75 percent employment rate. In addition, crimes committed by people under the age of 21 have decreased by 40 percent. Now graduating 85.7 percent of students, this marks the first win for White Plains in the competition.
Community Programs
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National League of Cities' Step Up Program
for African-American and Hispanic adolescent males works with at-risk youth, and has not only helped lower crimes committed by young people under 21 by 40 percent, but has also seen a 75 percent employment rate among Step Up Program graduates.
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The Westchester Jewish Community Service
works with the local police in Project Trust, a program designed to help women and children who have witnessed domestic abuse so they can recover from trauma and psychological difficulties.
- Every school in White Plains holds Jump Rope for Heart and Fit Kids, walking clubs and family fitness nights.
- Sponsored by local community agencies, a major health fair is held each year to provide more than 400 African-Americans and Hispanics complete physicals at no cost.
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Heroes and Kids is a unique program where professional athletes train high school and middle school students in White Plains about the importance of sportsmanship, conflict resolution and drug, tobacco and alcohol prevention.
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The Uthando Doll Project
brought together the youth of White Plains to make dolls to comfort children affected with HIV and AIDS in the Kwazulu-Natal province.
Youth Voices
The White Plains Youth Bureau stepped into my life to help level out the playing field. I encourage kids to go to the Youth Bureau because they helped me learn how to be resourceful and gave me the support I needed to finish school.
—Camila