Getting to the heart of the matter

Too many kids in Jacksonville are facing hopelessness. In the past two and a half years, I’ve had the pleasure of speaking with some incredible young people. But some of these same kids have faced unfathomable hardship; they have dealt with a friend being shot, seen a parent incarcerated, or struggled with homelessness.
 

We must do better for our kids. We have to get to the heart of the matter and find ways to better support our youth.
 
That’s why we reformed the way our City delivers children’s services, creating the Kids Hope Alliance. The board met for the first time on Jan. 17 to begin the hard work of enhancing our services and offerings.
 
I am thankful for all the board members for volunteering to serve. Each was selected for their leadership and contributions to our communities, and their expertise and experiences will benefit and serve our children for years to come.
 
My charge to the board is resolute: Provide opportunities and outcome-based programs to improve the lives of Jacksonville’s children. Let’s prove to our kids that this City loves, supports, and believes in them.
 
We have a long road ahead of us, but I am confident that we have the right people, resources, desire, and commitment to be successful.
 
Jacksonville’s children are counting on us; our citizens are counting on us. We must commit to doing right by our children and our future.
 

Mayor @lennycurry addresses the first meeting of the Kid's Hope Alliance. #ilovejax pic.twitter.com/0VpsuMX4qw

— City of Jacksonville (@CityofJax) January 17, 2018