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REGULAR MEETING September 25, 2017
<br /> high school credits. Should they continue on to Vincennes University,they'll also receive thirty
<br /> (3 0) credits, so when they go to college, they only have to go to school for one (1) year to receive
<br /> their Associates Degree. We make it a point to have students do at least ten percent(10%) of
<br /> everything they're required to do, from haircuts to hairstyles and everything else, for free out in
<br /> the community. Today, we're partnered with the South Bend Housing Authority. We're
<br /> partnered with the YWCA, the Center for the Homeless, Hope Rescue Mission. Last week, we
<br /> just did the YWCA, and this upcoming Thursday we're going to be cutting hair for veterans.
<br /> Between August 1St, 2017 and August 21 st, 2017 we cut and styled over four-hundred and fifty
<br /> (450) heads for free for kids that are going back to school. Why do I say this? Because, we have
<br /> a school where it's making a different kind of impact. A lot of people are getting shot and they're
<br /> shooting. They're doing a lot of different things like that. Many of us, we have skills to organize,
<br /> skills to plan, but we don't have skills to go out to the street to reach these people. The more
<br /> young people we can have join our school,the more impact we have in our community. We
<br /> desire for the City to look into ways, budgetary-wise, to help provide scholarships to help people
<br /> to be able to attend. So, we wanted to share that,plant a little seed, and you'll hear a little bit
<br /> more from us later, because things are being done.
<br /> Derrick Heinz, 120 West LaSalle Avenue, Apartment 1202, South Bend, IN, stated that he is a
<br /> student at Mr. Lark's cosmetology school. Mr. Heinz stated that he lost two (2) friends to gun
<br /> violence. He stated that when programs to keep young people productively occupied are taken
<br /> away from communities,these young people will grow bored and sometimes get in with the
<br /> wrong crowd. Mr. Heinz emphasized that a haircut can do wonders for lifting the spirit of an
<br /> individual and called for more collaboration between elders and the youth to make the
<br /> community better.
<br /> Anthony Birdie, 613 South Olive Street, South Bend, IN, stated that he appreciates what has
<br /> been done on Western Avenue, but stated that he believes what has been done on Western could
<br /> be done on Olive. He urged the Council to help the people of his community improve things in
<br /> the neighborhood.
<br /> Sue Kesim, 4022 Kennedy Drive, South Bend, IN, stated, We have 18,000 students in our South
<br /> Bend schools. Seventy percent (70%) of them get a free or reduced lunch, which is 12,600 of our
<br /> children that live in poverty. There is also a waiting list of one-hundred and fifty(15 0) students
<br /> for Head Start because there's not enough funding, not enough federal funding. I just want to
<br /> point out that this is our community and we have a lot of kids that need help. So,part of what I
<br /> did today, I made a call to Joe Donnelly's office and said, "Hey, you're our hometown guy, we
<br /> need some money here for Head Start. We've got one-hundred and fifty(150) kids waiting and
<br /> they need your help." On a more personal level, if you talk to Joe, maybe just reiterate that the
<br /> community as a whole needs some help in that area.
<br /> ADJOURNMENT
<br /> There being no further business to come before the Council,President Tim Scott adjourned the
<br /> meeting at 9:48 p.m.
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