Minutes-06-01-2023-Budget Public Hearing Meeting

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as well. He said many children have a need for someone to talk to. He said it has been 7 or 8 years and he still has work to do, but it has made a positive impact on his life. He said he is thankful for Fathers on the Move. Tracy Summers said her grandson, Treyden Graves, has been with Fathers on the Move since third grade. She said since Fathers on the Move has come into their lives, it has helped her grandson with his attitude and anger and has relieved the stress on her and his mother. She said they help guide him in the right direction as a young man. She said she appreciates Fathers on the Move. Treyden Graves said that Victor of Fathers on the Move has helped him for a while now. He said he is a father figure for him and has helped his family in many ways. He said that he wanted to help get money for Fathers on the Move. He said it has helped make him a better person. Anthony Moore said he has been involved with Fathers on the Move for 11 years. He said it is a necessary program and helped him developed as a man. He said he benefited from a mentor when he was young and wanted to give back. He said there are a lot of fatherless homes, and this program provides a father figure for those. He said Fathers on the Move is an intervention program. He said it is not a 12- or 18-month program. He said he keeps up with his mentees on a weekly basis. He said mothers also need to be involved. He said they walk in life with their mentees. He asked the Board to consider Fathers on the Move. Jim Kramer said he is involved with Fathers on the Move. He said he was a retired corrections officer in New York. He said that he worked to keep guys in prison to now, keeping them out. He said they go to Butner correctional facility. He said they meet on Zoom. He said they teach people how to be mentors themselves. He said the effect they have is interesting. He said they work with Partnership Academy, the alternative high school. He said there is a huge need, and it works. He said it is a lifetime deal, and all of their mentees will tell you the difference it has made in their lives. Bishop Victor Glover, executive director of Fathers on the Move, said they are no longer a program, but a movement that originated in Orange County. He said they are not recommended for funding, but that they have momentum and traction now to meet their mission to save kids' lives. He said that understanding what is going on right now is crucial. He said people want to be part of this movement. He said that when they submitted the application, there were discrepancies. He said the person who submitted the application understood the issues. He described many of the people, departments, and programs that they work with. He asked the Board to fund the program. Nancy Ramirez said she teaches in the community, and she has had challenges finding an affordable home that is safe. She asked the Board to support affordable housing. She said that she received a call from Habitat for Humanity, and she now is a homeowner, and this will change her son's life. She thanked those who support affordable housing so that more families in Orange County can have an affordable place they call home. Ella Cauwels said she is a fourth grader at River Park and is in the robotics club. She said only a certain number of spots are available and not everyone could get a ride home. She said she thinks that there should be a STEM class so that everyone gets the chance to do it. Sophia Cauwels said she is a mechanical engineering student and graduate of Orange County High School. She said that she joined the robotics program in high school, and this changed her life. She said in Orange County, students are exposed to STEM in seventh grade. She said her younger sister has the ability to participate because her parents are able to give her a ride. She said that by adding a STEM teacher, the kids will be learning the skills at a younger age, and this will help them to be more successful. She said that her sister looks up to her and she has tried to show that it is possible to do hard things. She said that by adding STEAM classes, students will be confident in problem-solving and self-esteem. She said this will impact them for their whole lives.