CITY OF POMONA
COUNCIL REPORT
April 3, 2023
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: James Makshanoff, City Manager
Submitted By: Benita DeFrank, Neighborhood Services Director SUBJECT: APPROVE A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING AND LICENSE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF POMONA AND JUST US 4 YOUTH RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the City Council take the following actions:
Approve the Memorandum of Understanding and License Agreement between the City of Pomona and Just Us 4 Youth, and; Authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to execute the agreement on behalf of the City.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The City Council will consider a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and License Agreement (Attachment No. 1) with Just Us 4 Youth (JU4Y) to reactivate Renacimiento Community Center in the Angela-Chanslor neighborhood to offer a variety of free programs and services to youth and families from May 1, 2023 through May 1, 2024.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact with the approval of the MOU and License Agreement between the City and JU4Y.
DISCUSSION:
The Community Services Division is committed to serving more community members in a more meaningful way by reimagining how we use public spaces through innovative programming and collaboration. The Renacimiento Community Center, located in south Pomona in the Angela-Chanslor neighborhood, is managed and operated by Community Services, which oversees the administration of several community programs and activities. Prior to COVID-19, the Renacimiento Community Center offered a number of After School Recreation programming, but has remained closed, since March of 2020. The request for the MOU comes as a result of JU4Y wishing to collaborate with the Community Services Division to support the efforts of improving the quality of life, strengthening community, and providing programming and services to the residents of Pomona in the Angela-Chanslor area.
JU4Y is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Pomona, whose mission is to mentor at-promise youth to be better students, better people, and better leaders. Incorporated in 2017, JU4Y currently offers 11 programs that are intentionally designed to support youth and community development in a holistic and restorative approach. Programs are tailored to positively benefit youth, parents, educators, administrators, and community members directly and indirectly. Each of their programs are purposefully aimed to provide mentorship, employment, education, counseling therapy, basic needs, and emergency housing.
JU4Y desires to obtain permission to enter onto the first floor Renacimiento Community Center, a property located at 2383 Chanslor Street, to provide the following programming and services to occur at least five (5) days a week and at least fifteen (15) hours per week between the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Connect, Y.E.S., and VIP programs have committed to utilize the community center as an office space five (5) days a week to expand accessibility to Angela-Chanslor residents.
Connect will run an affinity-based cluster for youth once a week; STAY will offer engaging craft activities for younger children once a week; TREE will facilitate curriculum-based mentoring for parents in small groups 1-2x/week; Y.E.S. will provide employment readiness workshops 2-3x/week and host career fairs in the near future; VIP will provide community-building activities and crisis intervention response 5x/week RJ + Care will lead listening circles for community members and read aloud story time opportunities for children once a week; Creative Arts will reserve spots for youth and young adults to join the Eye Opener and BEATS programs.
On February 16, 2023, the Parks and Recreation Commission discussed a proposal by JU4Y to provide programs and services to youth and their families residing in the Angela-Chanslor neighborhood. The Commission expressed their support in reactivating Renacimiento Community Center to provide services that meet the needs and interests of the community.
Staff is seeking approval from the City Council to enter into an MOU and License Agreement with JU4Y to provide programming and services at Renacimiento Community Center, as a pilot program, beginning May 1, 2023 through May 1, 2024.
COUNCIL PRIORITIES & GOALS: This item supports the 2021-2022 City Council Priority 4: Safe and Clean Community Fiscal and Operational Responsibility – Goal M: Improve safety and cleanliness at parks and public spaces – Step 3: Re-open community centers as public health orders allow, collaborating with community organizations to increase service levels to seniors, families, and youth.
Prepared by:
______________________________________________
Monica Belloso
Management Analyst
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment No. 1 – Proposed MOU and License Agreement
Memorandum of Understanding with JU4Y