Building Successful Families, Children, and Youth
This focus area supports quality childcare, school readiness and safe, enriching enviroments for children and youth. Below are a list of partner agencies that fall into this category:
Ballard Community Services
The Ballard Center and the Penn House agencies merged in 2005, creating Ballard Community Services. Services are provided in a variety of forms: affordable, high quality early childhood program for children 12 months to 6 years, emergency and commodity food programs, rent and utility assistance programs, clothing assistance programs, and a medical assistance program.
Dianne Ensminger, P.O. Box 7, Lawrence, Kansas 66044
(785) 842-0729 or 785 842-0440 www.ballardcenter.org
Big Brothers/Big Sisters
Worldwide leader in youth mentoring programs, Big Brothers/BigSisters matches children ages 5 through 17 with carefully screened adult volunteers. Through a variety of community and site-based programs, volunteers spend from one to four hours per week with a Little Brother or Little Sister to develop a mutually rewarding, life transforming friendship.
Becky Price, P.O. Box 442291, Lawrence, Kansas 66044
(785) 843-7359 www.mentoringmagic.org
Boy Scouts of America
Helps to instill values in young people, and in other ways to prepare them to make ethical choices over their lifetime in achieving their full potential. Programs include Cub Scouting, Boy Scouting, Venturing (high school co-ed youth) and Learning for Life (in-school program).
John Kuehn, 10210 Holmes Road, Kansas City, Missouri 64131
(800) 776-1110 www.hoac-bsa.org
Boys and Girls Club of Lawrence
In seven different locations in the community: Boys & Girls Club of Cordley, Deerfield, Langston Hughes, New York, Schwegler and Pinckney Schools, and of course the Boys & Girls Club of Lawrence at 1520 Haskell. The Club provides afterschool and summer programs for youth, kindergarten and older, in five core areas: health and life skills, recreation, education and careers, character and leadership, and cultural arts.
Janet Murphy, P.O. Box 748, Lawrence, Kansas 66044
(785) 841-5672
Brookcreek Learning Center
A family-centered full day, full year early education program providing low-income, at-risk children, ages birth through five years, with structured work and play activities to increase their opportunity for social and learning success.
Dianne Ensminger, P.O. Box 7, Lawrence, Kansas 66044
(785) 842-0729 or 785 842-0440 www.ballardcenter.org
Douglas County Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA)
Every year, the CASA program helps more than 100 abused and neglected children find safe, permanent, and loving homes. By advocating in the court system for the best interests of these kids, CASA volunteers help them begin to break the cycle of violence in their lives and have a better chance for a sound future.
Kerry Tummons, 1100 Massachusetts Street, Lawrence, Kansas 66044
(785) 832-5172 www.orgsites.com/ks/douglascountycasa
Douglas County Child Development Association
Provides services to children and families through child care tuition scholarships, a resource and referral service for parents, sponsorship of the Child and Adult Care Food Program, an Infant/Toddler Specialist, and training for child care workers.
Anna Jenny, 935 Iowa Street, Lawrence, Kansas 66044-1836
(785) 842-9679 www.dccda.org
Girl Scouts of NE Kansas & NW Missouri
A unique girl-only place where girls find courage by exploring new adventures; confidence by discovering their abilities; and character by shaping their values -- making the world a better place.
Girl Scouts, P.O. Box 4314, Topeka, Kansas 66604
(785) 842-5427 or 785-273-3100 www.girlscouts.net
Success By 6 Coalition
Identifies and meets the developmental needs of families and young children and builds comprehensive early childhood learning systems.
Rich Minder, 2518 Ridge Court, Lawrence, Kansas 66046
(785) 842-8719 www.douglascountysuccessby6.org
Van Go Mobile Arts
An arts-based social service agency that provides after-school and summer programs for at-risk Douglas County youth, ages 14 through 21. JAMS, VanGo’s year-round employment program, hires teens to create art that is sold in the community. Economic opportunities for disadvantaged youth are provided through success-building art projects where “real world” job and life skills are taught.
Lynne Green, P.O. Box 153, Lawrence, Kansas 66044
(785) 842-3797 www.van-go.org
Wednesdays at Liberty Hall
A collaborative project of over 30 agencies, Wednesdays at Liberty Hall was created to address the community need for safe, structured and supervised activities for teens grades 7th-9th, who are downtown on early release Wednesdays from school.
Sarah Jane Russell, GaDuGi SafeCenter, 2518 Ridge Court #202, Lawrence, Kansas 66046 (785) 843-8985 www.gadugisafecenter.org