Funding Freeze Impacts Neighborhood Youth Services

DULUTH, Minn. – Staff say they are appealing to public after a freeze on federal grants has put the program and its services at risk.

Neighborhood Youth Services (NYS) provides meals, mentorship, and a safe space for kids. Located in Duluth’s central hillside, the program also serves families and runs juvenile justice programs for St. Louis County. 

However, according to program leaders, a freeze on federal grants has put all those services at risk. Faced with the funding shortfall, leaders are appealing to the public to keep the doors open.

“The grants that we were eyeing that, you know, total up to around 250 grand,” said Executive Director Pez Davila about the frozen federal grants. “And right in the middle of the award letters coming out, the other letters came out to say that these funds are frozen until mid to late July, and it was like, that’s half of our funding.”

Staff have pitched their own money to keep up operations and say the space is vital to the 60 to 80 children who regularly attend. “Myself and another staff member have used a lot of our personal funds, for like, meals and, you know, gas and things like that. Other operational needs. But we understand that we can’t shut our doors. It’s important that we stay open for the kids and helps them stay out of trouble. And like I mentioned earlier, it’s a safe space for, you know, and they feel like they belong here and they want to be here, which is the most important thing,” Davila said.

If you would like to donate to Neighborhood Youth Services you can find them on Facebook. They also said that if you would like to offer food or other types of donations, you can contact them at the phone number on their page.