Resource fair highlights Black on Black Crime Task Force meeting in Gainesville

A resource fair highlighted the April monthly meeting of the Black on Black Crime Task Force.

Held Wednesday at the Santa Fe College Blount Center in downtown Gainesville, the resource fair was held to educate and inform parents about the many resources in the community that are available to them and their families, said Darry Lloyd, a member of the task force and deputy chief investigator and spokesman for the Eighth Judicial Circuit's State Attorney's Office.

"We want to make sure we connect the dots," Lloyd said. "Don't just listen, but take the information with you. Make announcements at your churches and get the information to folks that need it so the children can be safe in the streets."

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One of the presenters was Roxy Gonzalez of the city of Gainesville's Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department who talked about summer camps the city will be hosting this year.

For more information about the camps, visit https://bit.ly/3KEe5Rl.

Founder and owner of Minority Business Listings, Wayne Fields, shared about the opportunity Teenagers in Alachua County again this summer will have an opportunity to earn money for six weeks by working at agencies and businesses as part of the Minority Business Listings' TeensWork program, said Wayne Fields, founder and owner of MBL.

For more information and to sign up for the program, visit mblistings.org.

John Alexander spoke on behalf of the Juvenile Justice and Community Support program.

The program this summer will identify the number of neighborhood crime watch groups that exist in the community and partner with 100 Black Men of Greater Gainesville Florida for mentorship, Alexander said.

The Reichert House will launch its communications academy for students who will learn about sound engineering, film making, production, television broadcasting, radio and graphic design, Alexander said.

The Reichert House this summer will also launch a business academy and students will learn about coding, Alexander said. Coding, essentially computer programming, is an innovative method that programmers use to instruct a computer about how to execute a task, according to www.codecademy.com.

The Juvenile Justice and Community Support program will also host workshops called "Is College for Me?" and "Do You Have What it Takes to be in the NFL," Alexander said.

"It will show what young folks don't see and what it takes (to make it to the NFL)," Alexander said.

Lt. Rob Koehler spoke about the Gainesville Police Department's Junior Police Academy that will be held from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. June 12–16. The deadline to register is May 22, and the registration is $50. The academy is open for middle school students only who will learn about law enforcement through hands on training and demonstrations.

For more information and to register, email shuganri@cityofgainesville.org or call at 352-317-4815.

CareerSource North Central Florida will sponsor summer work programs for young people ages 16-24, said Lynda Bowie-Locklear, an outreach specialist with the agency.

The agency serves Alachua and Bradford counties and provides soft skills and internships. It is seeking to partner with probation offices to youths with criminal records find jobs, Bowie-Locklear said.

"One challenge that we have is finding employment that offers a second chance," Bowie-Locklear. "Just because they have a background does not mean our children should be left out."

It was also announced at the meeting that a re-entry partnership conference will be held from 10 1.m.-1 p.m. April 24-24 at the Library Partnership and Resource Center at 912 NE 16th Ave.

It is a two-day employment and resource conference for individuals facing challenges in entering the workforce.

Santa Fe College will again host its College Achievement Program that focuses on college readiness, said Ed Book, chief of the SF College Police Department who also serves as a Gainesville city commissioner.

The college will also sponsor a dialogue between students and six police agencies that will feature a discussion about community relations, Book said.

Marcus Thompson of the Nu Eta Lambda chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. said the fraternity will be giving away three $2,000 scholarships. The deadline to apply for the scholarships will be April 28. To learn more about the scholarships, visit the Facebook page titled "Gainesville Alphas."

Marsha Kiner, the executive director of the Children's Trust of Alachua County, thanked the programs and agencies that used the trust to help enrich the lives of the youth in Alachua County.

"Thank you for the work you do for the youth in our county," Kiner said. "We have a heart for children in this community."

Aces In Motion (AIM), a sports-based after-school youth development program, also made a presentation at the meeting.

For more information about the programs offered by AIM, visit www.acesinmotion.org.

GPD Chief Lonnie Scott spoke about being intentional with mentoring a youth this year.

"We need to take inventory of our most precious resources, which are our children," Scott. "It tugs my heart to see the challenges they will face over the years physically and virtually. We must be vigilant to watch our children and the neighbors' children. When children hurt, we all hurt."

Tony Jones, the city’s special advisor for juvenile justice and community support programs, said the city commission came to an agreement to remove a gathering called "Peaceful Sundays" that usually happens at T.B. McPherson Park at 1717 SE 15th St.

Jones said the last Sunday in April is projected to be the last time the event will take place.

"We've been told by neighbors in the community that they want peace back on Sundays," Scott said. "We work for you."

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Gainesville/Alachua County parents learn about resources at meeting