In another example of BGCMB’s commitment to raising the voices of youth on issues that impact kids’ education, access and opportunities, on February 12, Gabriel Butler, Manager of our Leonards Lane Club, and teen member Madison, were among the group of local leaders to join Governor Wes Moore for a visit to Cambridge to reaffirm the importance and impact the ENOUGH Act will have on rural communities across Maryland, including those on the Eastern Shore.
Fellow leaders at the event included Cambridge Mayor Stephen Rideout; Dorchester County Council President Lenny Pfeffer; University of Maryland Eastern Shore President Dr. Heidi Anderson; and Maryland State Education Association President Cheryl Bost.
“We owe it to our people to disrupt the patterns that drive pain, hardship, and tragedy; and we owe it to our state to unlock the promise of our children and communities – that’s what the ENOUGH Act is all about,” said Gov. Moore. “Together, we will help transform distressed communities into places with top schools, good jobs, safe neighborhoods, quality housing, and economic momentum; and that includes communities like Cambridge.”
The ENOUGH Act uses place-based interventions in communities with disproportionately high numbers of children living in poverty—rural, suburban and urban. Communities that show an ability to assess existing pathways to success, coordinate across sectors, and address challenges strategically and in a holistic manner can apply for competitive grant funding of up to $10 million per year. The program will be run through the Governor’s Office of Children. Governor Moore hosted a roundtable discussion to share and learn more about how the ENOUGH Act can uplift the region and unlock the promise of children and communities on the Shore. Club representatives participated alongside students and community organizations including Moving Dorchester Forward, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore, the John & Janice Wyatt Foundation, Harvesting Hope Youth and Family Wellness, and MidShore Meals til Monday.
“Within a three-mile radius of the Boys & Girls Club, 52 percent of residents live at or below Dorchester County’s median household income. Like many small towns, the challenges faced in Dorchester County, and specifically Cambridge, are generational and impact our youth — but through the state’s investment, we continue to see progress for our youth and their families,” said Boys & Girls Club at Leonards Lane Manager Gabriel Butler. “We are eager to collaborate with the Moore-Miller Administration in the months to come.”
The ENOUGH Act is part of the Moore-Miller Administration’s 2024 legislative package, which includes 16 bills that advance the governor’s priorities to make Maryland safer, make Maryland more affordable, make Maryland more competitive, and make Maryland the state that serves.
Read the full press release from the Office of Governor Wes Moore.