Jan. 23, 2002 – St. Johnians have been meeting to organize a Weed and Seed program on their island, noting the success of the St. Thomas and St. Croix programs. The next meeting is set for noon Tuesday.
For the past two months groups from schools, churches, community organizations and the police have met to discuss adopting the Weed and Seed program on St. John.
The next meeting is scheduled for noon Tuesday in the Safety Zone office on St. John. Persons or organizations interested in becoming involved are encouraged to call either the St. John Community Foundation at 693-9410 or the Safety Zone at 693-7233 to confirm attendance.
"Weed and Seed" is designed as a way for communities to help prevent, control and reduce violent crime, drug abuse and gang activity by bringing people and resources together to develop programs offering positive alternatives before the negative patterns begin.
It is a community-based approach that recognizes the importance of linking and coordinating federal and local law enforcement and criminal justice efforts with federal and local social services, the private sector and community efforts. Together these groups and organizations adopt the 'Weed and Seed' strategy, which recognizes the importance of total community involvement that empowers residents to assist in identifying and solving problems in their neighborhoods.
Weed and Seed program federal funding is offered for up to four years and averages $125,000 a year. Obtaining a grant is a long process that begins with the development of a Steering Committee responsible for establishing goals and objectives, designing and developing programs, providing guidance on implementation, and assessing program achievements.
