Kids & Family

SLPD, REACH Ashland Youth Center Secure $500K to Reduce Gang Violenc

The San Leandro Police Department, in partnership with REACH Ashland Youth Center, will receive a 2-year California Gang Reduction Intervention and Prevention (CalGRIP) grant in the amount of $500,000. The CalGRIP initiative is designed to address the presence and proliferation of gangs throughout the State.  Cal GRIP awarded $9.2 million through competitive grants to 20 California cities with gang violence.  

The funding will allow the San Leandro Police Department and Alameda County's REACH Ashland Youth Center to work collaboratively with local agencies and non-profits. They are: Alameda County Art Commission, Alameda County Office of Education, Alameda County Probation, Alameda County Sheriff's Office, City of San Leandro, Deputy Sheriff's Activities League, Alameda County District Attorney's Office, San Leandro Police Department, San Lorenzo Unified School District, San Leandro Unified School District, Alameda County Library, La Clincia de La Raza, Soulciety and The Center for Healthy Schools and Communities-Alameda County Health Care Services Agency. 

This group will work together on the project called REACH Out. 

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San Leandro Police Chief, Sandra Spagnoli stated, “Community partnerships are key to public safety and protecting our youth from being enticed to join organized street gangs. CalGRIP funding is an investment in the community's youth that will pay off in the future through programs and initiatives designed to keep kids and families on the right track."    

According to Alameda County Probation, of the 200 juveniles detained in the Juvenile Justice Center, 45% are from the Eden Area.  

Find out what's happening in San Leandrowith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The REACH Out initiative anticipates providing 2,000 youth with prevention and early intervention services and 150 youth with intensive intervention services.  REACH Out also plans to reach 400 parents through a parent education outreach strategy, with 100 parents a year receiving follow up services such as home visits and additional counseling.  

Pedro Naranjo, Executive Director, REACH Ashland Youth Center remarked, "We want to see young people living in safe neighborhoods. We want to see young people graduate from high school, make it to college and have career opportunities. We want to see less young people struggling to raise children before they are ready. We think these changes are possible. We look forward to working with the City of San Leandro, the Police Department, and our other partners to implement "REACH Out.” 

The REACH Ashland Youth Center is a comprehensive resource center that serves youth ages 11 -24 for free. 

Senate Majority Leader Ellen M. Corbett (D--East Bay) lent her support to the CalGRIP application and noted, “REACH is such an important resource for our community, and I am pleased to see this new partnership with San Leandro unfold.  People throughout the Eden Area will benefit from a strategy that expands opportunities for young people who have been exposed to the juvenile justice system.”                 


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