A city councilmember and a Long Beach Unified School District (LBUSD) boardmember are teaming up in support of a new initiative geared toward helping young men, particularly those of color, achieve life goals.

Councilmember Rex Richardson and LBUSD Boardmember Megan Kerr announced the creation of the Whole Village Initiative on October 14. The movement will provide resources and opportunities for young men throughout North Long Beach. These resources include after-school programs, a mentorship program, college preparedness and jobs and internship readiness.

“We have assembled a team of creative and committed partners who are dedicated to making measurable improvements in key areas impacting youth,” Richardson said in a statement. “The formation of an education foundation to support youth and education programs in North Long Beach is not only necessary, but well overdue.”

Some of these partners include volunteers from the Long Beach City Library, pastors of local churches and other community activists. They are part of a task force designed to assess the success of the program in its early stages and make recommendations accordingly.

The Whole Village Initiative is being funded by the recently inaugurated North Long Beach Education Foundation, also jointly created by Kerr and Richardson. All of the funds raised through the foundation will be put toward aiding families and students in North Long Beach.

“My entire career, I’ve believed that it really does take a whole village to raise a child,” said former Councilmember Steve Neal, who is heading up the task force supporting the initiative. “I am proud to be able to continue to give back to my community.”