Bridgeport Area Youth Programs Receive $362,000 In Federal Grants

Press release from RYASAP:

Aug. 24, 2022

The Senate Appropriations Committee may award Regional Youth Adult Social Action Partnership (RYASAP) two grants totaling $362,000 for fiscal year 2023. The appropriations bills are still being negotiated, however their inclusion, at this time, is a critical step towards securing these funds for the beginning of the Federal fiscal year in October. RYASAP’s StreetSafe Bridgeport program (SSB) would receive $237,000, and $125,000 would go towards Social Emotional Learning (SEL) programming at Bridgeport Public Schools.

“Putting an end to gun violence in Bridgeport is a key priority for our staff at RYASAP. We want students to feel physically safe at school. We want them to feel emotionally safe too, which is why I am thrilled that Senators Richard Bluementhal and Chris Murphy have taken the first steps to ensure our StreetSafe Bridgeport and SEL programs will be included in the final funding package,” said RYASAP Executive Director Marc Donald.

SSB is a street-based, non-law enforcement program that focuses on reducing youth violence, including group/gang and gun crime in the city. The funding, which comes from the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill, will help RYASAP continue to address gun violence in the city by growing the organization’s evidenced-based violence interruption model, which utilizes men with experience in the Justice System to serve as case managers and mentors to at risk youth. This grant will furthermore be used to drive youth engagement through in person and virtual meetings, and increase RYASAP’s data collection capacities.

“From reducing gun violence to improving transportation infrastructure to job training and much more, these projects make important and invaluable contributions not only to their communities, but to our state as a whole,” said Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal. “This potential funding will pack a powerful punch for CT’s economic growth and quality of life. These requests represent millions of dollars in funding that Connecticut has asked me to fight for in D.C. and bring home for critical infrastructure projects and social services.”

RYASAP’s Social Emotional Learning program teaches students and staff how to regulate their emotions in healthy ways, and practice communicating productively with each other, their teachers, and their larger school community. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of teaching SEL as students were isolated in their homes, having limited social interactions with classmates and teachers.

The $125,000 grant from the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill gives RYASAP the resources necessary to strengthen their partnerships with Bridgeport Public Schools Schools in order to create a SEL experience for all students. Funding will also go to programs aimed at decreasing school absenteeism, increasing family engagement, and expanding our mediation program to all SEL community schools.

“We still have a great deal of work to do to make this draft budget a reality, but I am committed to working to get this over the finish line,” said Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy.

This press release was produced by RYASAP. The views expressed here are the author's own.