San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria wants to make sure kids in underserved communities have a great, engaging summer with plenty of recreation opportunities including at public libraries. NBC 7’s Nicole Gomez explains.
Mayor Todd Gloria today outlined his “Summer for All of Us'” initiative as part of his proposed budget, intended to create more recreation opportunities for youth in historically underserved communities, boost youth employment and ensure youth are better set up for success.
“As we move into recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, it's vitally important we engage and provide support to our youth which is exactly what this initiative is designed to do,” Gloria said. “By providing young people access to engaging programming that connects them to opportunities that promote physical activity, learning and employment, we are setting them up for success in our city.”
As designed in his proposed $4.6 billion budget, the initiative will:
- Create programs to help children and families take part in activities at libraries and recreation centers in traditionally underserved communities
- Invest $1 million in the Connect2Careers workforce development program to bolster youth employment
- Invest $500,000 to enhance library youth programming
- Continue and expand the “SDAccess4All” initiative that aims to close the digital divide by increasing Internet and technology access
- Invest $400,000 in youth programming supporting equitable access to recreational opportunities at 16 recreation centers, three park venues and five aquatic locations in underserved areas
- Invest $250,000 for paid internships with the Parks and Recreation Department through the Summer Youth Environmental and Recreation Corps Program
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“This funding will help staff recreation centers, aquatic centers and park ranger programs providing more opportunities for families to recreate this summer,'' said Andy Field, San Diego Parks and Recreations director. “The initiative will also fund community organizations supporting youth employment and scholarship opportunities and provides young adults in their late teens and early twenties the opportunity to acquire valuable life and leadership skills that will help them secure important work experience either at the city or in a future career.”
The San Diego Parks Foundation and San Diego County have committed to partnering with the city by allocating funding to give families summer programming and encourage them to “come play outside.”
The full budget proposal can be found at www.sandiego.gov/finance/proposed.
