| Barry University in Miami Shores, Florida, is collaborating with the City of Miami Beach, the Miami Beach Housing Authority, and neighborhood organizations to construct a youth center in the city's North Beach area. Using Hispanic-Serving Institutions Assisting Communities (HSIAC) funds, the partners will complete construction of the youth center and develop a wide range of services and programs that address the social, cultural, educational, pre-employment, and recreational needs of neighborhood youth.
The Miami Beach Youth Center will serve two distinct populations: infants, toddlers, and their parents, many of whom are teenagers; and school-age youth who need structured activities between the hours of 3-7 p.m. In anticipation of the center's opening in 2001, the university's Academy for a Better Community has already begun offering programs--including youth counseling, a clothing closet, and recreational activities--from donated space. The programs will be expanded when the youth center is completed.
The youth center is being built in the City of Miami Beach's CDBG target area, where the population is predominantly Hispanic and almost one-quarter of the families live below the poverty level. During the past several years the City of Miami Beach has witnessed a simultaneous deterioration of recreation facilities in this area, as well as an increase in demand for such facilities.
Most of the funding for the youth center has been committed through a general municipal bond. In addition to funding some of the services, the HSIAC grant will provide gap financing for the construction phase of the project. A total of $1.7 million, and $30,000 of in-kind donations, have been contributed for construction costs. More than $70,000, and $275,630 of in-kind donations, have been committed for programs and services.
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