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Lilac Run 5K, 10K & Dunkin' Dash

Fri May 12 - Sun May 21 Rochester, NY 14620 US Directions
Charity
Champion Academy

Goal: $3,500

Rochester’s New Normal: Poverty, Trauma & Toxic Role Models

Among comparable-size cities, Rochester continues to be among the worst in poverty and childhood poverty. One out of three Rochester residents lives in poverty, and more than half of all Rochester children under 18 years of age live below the poverty level.

Each second a teen spends in poverty, the probability increases that they will be negatively impacted by one of poverty’s horrific effects:

  • Substandard housing  
  • Food scarcity  
  • Criminal activity  
  • Incarceration of a household member  
  • Living in a single-parent household  
  • Drugs, gangs & violence  
  • Substance abuse by a household member  
  • Physical or sexual abuse by a household member  
  • Psychological abuse or emotional neglect    

The Monroe County Health Department finds that 10 out of 12 teens in the Rochester City School District have experienced one or more traumatic experiences.  Repeated exposure compounds the negative impact, normalizing dysfunction and resulting in a host of destructive behaviors.

Sadly for Rochester’s teen population, poverty and trauma are only two of the three major risk factors they must overcome to succeed. The third is the most personal and crippling—the absence of fathers and positive role models.

Instead of seeing drug and gang leaders as criminals, far too many teens in poverty see them as highly successful, intelligent and relatable ‘parental figures’ who understand teens’ complex needs and are committed to help them attain success. Consistent exposure to destructive influencers is turning teens in poverty into an army of impolite and misguided teens on a direct path to academic and professional failure.

CHAMPION ACADEMY IS FIGHTING BACK!

The Champion Academy helps urban teens in poverty overcome their traumatic experiences and use them as fuel to drive their improvement as students, citizens and future professionals.  

$2,931

Raised of $3,500

$0
$3,500

$
Donation Attribution

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