Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Youth Services topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee hears pleas to save Sasha Bruce drop‑in center after contract loss
Summary
Sasha Bruce Youth Work leaders and clients told the Committee of Human Service that a DHS contract award displaced a long‑running youth drop‑in center and urged immediate bridge funding and oversight to avoid disrupting services for hundreds of young people.
Deborah Shore, founder and executive director of Sasha Bruce Youth Work, told the Committee of Human Service that the agency’s decision to award the Barracks Road drop‑in center contract to a new provider risks severing a continuity of care that youth rely on. "Do not let our drop in center close," Shore said, arguing that Sasha Bruce’s long history and community ties cannot be replaced overnight.
Chairperson Fruman acknowledged the testimony as "deeply troubling" and said his office is working on options, including asking staff to include supplemental budget language for bridge dollars. He invited Shore and other Sasha Bruce staff to follow up with committee staff so the council can weigh budget and oversight paths before the mayor’s budget is finalized.
