PEI Kids announced they received a $25,000 grant Jan. 10.
PEI executive director Penny Ettinger said the Office of Faith Based Initiatives, a Divisions of Programs in the Department of State, awarded the grant.
Ettinger said the grant will be used for its Comprehensive Juvenile Offenders Outreach Services. The program works toward preventing gang participation and criminal behavior.
Ettinger said CJOOS is a 16-week curriculum for juvenile offenders who are on probation for third or fourth degree offenses. The program provides juveniles with mentors, homework assistance and tutorial services.
Ettinger said that decrease in funding caused a reduction in CJOOS services. With the grant, Ettinger thinks PEI Kids will help about 60 more juveniles.
“We will use OFBI’s funding to help us strengthen the program’s educational and mentorship aspects, as well as PEI Kids’ collaborations with Trenton Central High School, The Bonner Center for Civic and Community Engagement at The College of New Jersey and the Mercer County Juvenile Probation Unit,” Ettinger said.
More information is online at peikids.org.
