Public Hearing: YES ☐ NO ☒ Department: Board of Commissioners - District 6
SUBJECT:
Title
Commission District(s): District 6 and District 4
To Transfer $2,500.00 from the District 6 Reserve for Appropriation Youth Funds to the Decatur Presbyterian Church to Support the Eric Naindouba American and African Advocacy Gathering Project Learning Program
Body
Information Contact: Commissioner Edward C. “Ted” Terry
Phone Number: 404-371-4909
PURPOSE:
To approve the transfer of 2,500.00 from the District 6 Youth Allocation Fund to the Decatur Presbyterian Church to Support the Eric Naindouba American and African Advocacy Gathering Learning Program to educate communities on issues related to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and provide resources to those in the need of assistance.
Decatur Presbyterian Church has received previous District 6 ARP funding and has been excellent stewards in serving DeKalb County. This funding will be earmarked as a separate outreach program to fund the monthly outreach, events, and workshops. The attached budget is segmented by month including the monthly outreach expenses including monthly resources for Mailchimp, WIX, mobile internet hotspot, and Zoom.
NEED/IMPACT:
Eric Naindouba is a Clarkston, 18-year-old resident managing several physical disabilities. He was born while his mother was fleeing a war in the Central African Republic, their home, for a refugee camp in Cameroon. The trip was difficult, and Eric suffered brain damage as a result. He lived his first five years in a refugee camp. The camp provided medical care, but life was difficult living on flour and water, enduring long lines and without any schools. In 2010, with assistance from our International Refugee Committee (IRC), Eric and his mother landed in District 6. His father remained in Cameroon.
Eric was born with a purpose and wants to be known and to contribute to the conversation and the world. But speech does not come easily for Eric as Cerebral Palsy affects his ability to control his muscles, including his mouth and vocal chords.
The Citizen Advocacy of Atlanta and DeKalb, has helped Eric learn how to be an advocate for others who have intellectual/developmental disabilities (I/DD), like him. He has been speaking at a yearly history of disability symposium and has an impacting network who support his monthly advocacy efforts. He has many dreams for his family and his life and would like to spend more time in the community, continue to hold advocacy meetings at the Refugee Coffee Shop to listen to others and hear the voices of refugees. His goals extend to inventing things for people like himself and go to Georgia Tech. He sees himself as an advocate and he welcomes others to see his vision and help advocate for him.
This District 6 appropriation further supports Eric’s dreams, advocates for him and others by providing the resources to make sure that he is heard, along with increasing his reach to others and his important advocacy efforts.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Non-Departmental - General Fund - Other Miscellaneous Payments (09110.573099.100.0000.0000) - $2,500.00
Decrease appropriations for the following account by the amount indicated below:
Non-Departmental - General Fund - Reserve for Appropriation (09110.579002.100.0000.0000) - $2,500.00
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommended Action
To approve the requested D6 Youth Programs Reserve for appropriation to the Decatur Presbyterian Church to be earmarked to support the Eric Naindouba American and African Advocacy Gathering Project Learning Program and authorize the Chief Executive Officer or his designee to execute all necessary documents.