Today a child in Oklahoma City is scared to go to school where she’s bullied; scared to walk home where he may get jumped; scared to be home where she is experiencing abuse and neglect. Today in Oklahoma City a child is experiencing lifelong hunger. Today in Oklahoma City over 64,000 children live in poverty.
Through our afterschool experiential program Rocktown Youth Mentoring serves over 100 at- risk children a week. We provide a safe place for children to build safe relationships with their mentors and provide a healthy meal for children who may not otherwise get one today. Because ,when youth have a caring, invested, consistent adult, they are 50% more likely than their peers who lack that relationship to avoid drugs, gangs, and to overcome the typical struggles that face their community and to press on and be successful. It takes just one caring adult. Just one.
Today Oklahoma is one of only 14 states that does not fund afterschool programs. The impact is felt in our communities;
- Higher dropout rates; 1 out 4 children will not graduate.
- Oklahoma City all 4 metro public high schools are categorized as “dropout factories”, meaning 6 out 10 of incoming freshmen will not graduate.
- We see higher prevalence of crime; everyday 59 children are arrested for a violent crime.