DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) - A nonprofit organization for youth was awarded funds for Johns Hill neighborhood cleanup efforts in a Decatur City Council vote.
A total of $320,000 came from the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, with funds going to site and cleanup related costs in the Johns Hill area. The Shemilah Outreach Center will be receiving no more than $100,000 for this project.
The council vote was 7-0 in favor.
Johns Hill is bounded by East Wood Street, South Jasper Street, East Cantrell Street and S. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.
This project is part of a "Clean-Up, Green-Up" cause, which documents from the Decatur City Council called a "community initiative designed to empower our residents and youth by providing the resources, tools, and guidance to remove litter, debris, overgrown shrubs, trees, electronics, small structures (e.g. derelict storage unit), and grass-cutting to enhance our communities, create a sense of place and identity, and grow our green spaces."
The Shemilah Outreach Center looks to empower and educate Decatur youth by giving them positive and healthy alternatives to inappropriate behavior. The Work Incentive Program created by Shemilah gives youth the chance to earn a stipend while giving back through beautification and restorative means.
Shemilah will be responsible for "providing removal of trash, debris, weeds, shrubs, small derelict structures and grass-cutting services as part of this initiative," city documents said. The organization must provide all labor, tools and equipment.
The contract period will run through Dec. 31, 2021.
