The CAL ripken, SR. Foundation, a national nonprofit organization based in baltimore, uses an evidence-based social-emotional learning approach and incorporates juvenile justice reform best…

This Project Grant award from the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (CFDA 16.726 Juvenile Mentoring Program) provides $1,860,000.00 to the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation, a national nonprofit organization based in Baltimore, Maryland. The funding supports the foundation's Badges for Baseball (BADGES) program, which uses an evidence-based social-emotional learning approach and incorporates juvenile justice reform best practices to connect at-risk youth and system-involved youth, ages 9-14, with caring adult mentors from civilian, law enforcement, public safety, and military backgrounds. The program aims to build protective factors, enhance social-emotional skills, improve academic performance, and reduce negative behavioral outcomes for participating youth across 80 youth-serving organizations in 65 communities across 21 states and Washington, D.C. The award period is from October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2027.

The CAL ripken, SR. Foundation, a national nonprofit organization based in baltimore, uses an evidence-based social-emotional learning approach and incorporates juvenile justice reform best practices to connect at-risk youth and system-involved youth with caring, adult mentors in small mentoring groups across the nation. CAL ripken, SR. Foundations target population is youth ages 914 in communities with multiple risk factors (poverty, drugs, gangs) for youth delinquency and other obstacles that prevent kids from successfully transitioning to adulthood. Badges for baseball (badges) breaks down barriers between law enforcement and community members by pairing at-risk/system-involved youth with youth-serving organization professional mentors as well as civilian, law enforcement, public safety, and military mentors who participate in structured, afterschool programs that help youth build SEL skills, stay in school, and make positive behavioral decisions propelling them to success in life. Each federal dollar will be matched with a minimum of one private dollar raised by CAL ripken, SR. Foundation, reaching 80 youth-serving organizations in 65 communities across 21 states and washington, DC. CAL ripken, SR. Foundation will provide structured mentoring activities for mentors and youth through the badges program and implement one-day and multiday events that offer educational, team building, and leadership experiences facilitated by trained mentors. CAL ripken, SR. Foundation will deliver enhanced mentor training (in-person, virtual, and web-based) on evidence-based practices and engage youth with new trained mentors through transformational experiences. CAL ripken, SR. Foundation will also implement a new pilot initiative called the system involved youth outreach program, which will target youth who have some interaction with local courts, police, other juvenile agencies, social service agencies, and community organizations focused on providing resources for system-involved youth.