Jacksonville City Council approves Kids Hope Alliance by 18-1 vote

Jacksonville — The Jacksonville City Council passed an ordinance creating the Kids Hope Alliance. The bill will combine the Jax Journey and the Jacksonville Children’s Commission.

The Kids Hope Alliance is designed to provide early learning, literacy, school readiness and out-of-school programs for at risk kids in Jacksonville. Mayor Lenny Curry introduced the legislation back in August.

According to the bill the Kids Hope Alliance will have plans for kids that will focus on Early Learning and Literacy and School Readiness, Juvenile Justice Intervention Programming, Out-of-School Programming and Teen Programming. The alliance will have a 7-member board of members that will be appointed by the Mayor and approved by the City Council.

During ther council meeting some JCC employees voiced their displeasure with the consolidation.

“I am being told that I should seek new employeement at the age of 56. How do you begin to start over at an age when I am  closer to retierment than rebuilding a resume.” One JCC employee says.

According to the bill, once it goes into effect, all employees of the former JCC will be transfered over and become employees of the Kids Hope Alliance.

After city council passed the bill, Mayor Lenny Curry released the following statement.

“Since the proposed legislation of Kids Hope Alliance, City Council has worked thoughtfully and diligently toward perfecting the KHA legislation to ensure the programs provided to Jacksonville youth are held to the highest standards. I thank them for their commitment to better serve our children. Council and I are aligned in serving and empowering opportunities for kids”. Mayor Curry says.

The bill will go into effect on January 1st.