On a mission!

Latley the kids from my work have been on my mind alot latley. I work at the Berrien County Juvenile Center for those of you who dont know. While it is a Juvenile Detention Center We have Secure lockdown detention side and we also have a Residential Treatment Side. At the BCJC we Teach RBT (rational Behavior Training) we also teach the kids the 8 basic social skills. On the residential side there are steps for the kids and things they need to do to work their way out. One step includes their parents, this is called Parenting Wisely. However the literature and movies they use are very dated and dont really focus on the African American family. I waas talking with the main Therapist there that leads parenting wisely and she said that she had found a new program that would be great but that it was just not in the budget. :( !!! Also the kids are learning to work together, these kids mostly come from the same community, and thats the community of Benton Harbor. In Benton Harbor the average household income is a little over 27,000, the drop out rate is very high. In Berrien County Benton Harbor has the highest crime rate. Being these are children most of them when they leave will go back to Benton Harbor where selling drugs, or Theft helps them get money to provide for their families. So we are also trying to teach them to work as a team. Teamwork is imporatant. The other day the kids on the residential side were taken to five pines camp to do the Ropes Course which helps them work on their personl strengths and weaknesses and encourages them to work as a team.

Okay so what is my point in all this well I have hopes that I will be ables to go around and collect donations to help them get this new parenting wisely program and would LOVE LOVE LOVE to have a ropes course built for them on the Juvenile center property. These kids need our help!! The Community of Benton Harbor needs our help!!! What will we do and what can we do. I need the help of friend, family and strangers to start making this change however as of now I am on a mission!!!!