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Restorative Justice League reports school partnerships and space constraints to Merced commission
Summary
The Restorative Justice League told the commission its 27th & K wellness center had 10 consistent participants during the quarter and worked with 158 students through partnerships with Merced-area middle and high schools, while noting limited space and staffing as barriers.
Andre Griggs, executive director of the Restorative Justice League, presented the organization’s fourth-quarter report to the Recreation and Park Commission, detailing participant numbers, school partnerships and operational constraints.
Griggs said the quarter (reported in the packet as April 1–June 31, 2025) included 10 consistent participants at the 27th & K Street wellness center and outreach that reached 158 students across several Merced school sites near the end of the school year. He reported the program operated 56 days during the quarter at eight hours per day (448 total service hours) and organized a special-event field trip to the Museum of Tolerance and to WB Studios that involved 19 students.
Griggs described the program’s focus on social-emotional wellness, restorative circles and conflict resolution, and said staff have observed improved communication, empathy and reduced disciplinary incidents among participating students. He noted limitations: constrained space and resources as participation grew, prompting the organization to seek expanded staffing and program materials.
Jensen and staff clarified that the city provides facility space through a multi-year contract structure; contracts were changed this year from year-to-year agreements to three-year guaranteed contracts (with two-year extension options) to better stabilize providers. The Boys & Girls Club was noted as an exception with a five-year contract owing to scale and countywide service responsibilities.
Why this matters: The report shows continuing collaboration between city facilities and nonprofit youth-service providers, highlights demand for expanded support and describes city policy changes designed to give providers greater contract stability.
Next steps: Griggs and staff indicated they will follow up on any corrections to submitted report versions so the minutes reflect the correct narrative and data. The commission took no formal action beyond receiving the report.
