PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The city is ready to roll out an expanded Shannon Grant program in the coming months featuring new mentoring programs and expanded case management. 

 

But, a budget cut from Gov. Charlie Baker in the state's effort to balance the budget has led administrators to look to rally funds from area businesses.

 

The city won a third round of Charles E. Shannon Grant money, which is aimed to reduce gang and youth violence, for this year. Shannon Grant Coordinator Adam Hinds crafted an expanded program anticipating extra resources.

 

"A new component is that we are going to add a team mentoring program," Hinds said on Tuesday.

 

Now through the end of February, Hinds is looking to recruit more than 100 people from the community to become mentors. One program will match up two to three mentors per at-risk youth entered into their program. Another program would be for a mother's group, which was formed in the last year and Hinds says will be expanding quickly. 

 

"There is a real effort to bridge connections in a community," Hinds said. "These issues affect everybody."

 

An orientation is planned for March and then a series of training sessions on different types of issues. Hinds hopes to have two or three mentors "deliberately" matched with youth.

 

"We're basically improving and expanding on what we did last year," Hinds said.

 

Poverty issues have risen to the top in the prevention efforts since neighborhoods with more crime tend to be those with high poverty rates. The mentoring programs will help direct families in how to get out of poverty and how to address the issues they face. 

 

Outreach worker Michael Williams says the differences between people in income brackets is alarming. Williams had just teamed up with the Fenn Street Community Development Corp. to open a new youth center on North Street known as "The Hub." That will be another resource to attract more youth into the program.

 

Williams is one of two outreach workers employed through the city's Shannon Grant. He and Jamal Taylor already serve in mentoring roles as they spend time out in the community.  They also go into schools to speak with students and give presentations.

 

"We have a calendar which lays out which day we will be in which school. We give presentations and just hang out with the kids," Williams said.

 

They will continue to do that. But, the program Hinds crafted calls for an additional outreach worker, increased hours for the case manager, and a consultant to help run the new mentoring programs and trainings. 

 

The planned program had already required that some extra fundraising and was dealt last week when Gov. Baker slashed its budget by nearly $40,000.

 

Mayor Daniel Bianchi had been calling businesses for support and is hoping to raise $50,000, while Hinds reworks the budget.

 

"I think it is important to get the businesses involved. This is really important to the city," Bianchi said. "We would like to hire more counselors. We came up with a program that is greater than we had funding for. I'm hoping the business community can step up."

 

The mayor had initially thought the city would be asking businesses to provide $20,000 for the additional increase in hours for a case manager, a more modest fundraising total. Nonetheless, Bianchi is confident the business community will help close the gap.

 

"The interest has been good so far," Bianchi said of his preliminary calls to local businesses. "We'll set up a fund they can donate to and we'll use it to fund the program."

 

Hinds will still be running the mentoring program either way and is asking anybody interested in becoming a mentor to contact him at ahinds@pittsfieldch.com.