DECATUR, Ala. (WHNT) — Edward Franklin is a program coordinator for Decatur Youth Services.
Before he began mentoring children at Camp Safehaven, Franklin, a football star, was also one of the camp’s children.
“It allowed me to be who I am today and experience things that I wouldn’t have had to experience,” said Franklin.
“He has such a love for the kids and the fact that he came through our program and now he wants to give back, that’s powerful,” said Bruce Jones, Interim Director of DYS.
DYS currently serves 4,000 at-risk children and their families year-round and also offers programs for adults. But the community staple has no permanent home as talks for a new facility have stalled.
The decades-old facility is badly in need of an upgrade.
In December, Bandon Watkins, former director of DYS, presented a plan for a state-of-the-art complex to the city council. Watkins resigned in March, and Bruce Jones, who had retired, was asked to step in.
Councilman Billy Jackson told News 19 that the city’s plans for a home for DYS are still uncertain.
“We’ve got to have a facility where they can have their own place and their own activities. Youth services works across the broad spectrum of what’s going on in the city of Decatur,” Jackson said.
In looking at the growth of Decatur, Franklin can’t figure out why no attention has been paid to such an important entity for families in his community.
“Having different older peers, teachers, and coaches just showing that they care about them is what this is all about,” said Franklin. “That’s what I had when I had when I was six years old. It’s just benefiting them some of the things that the kids won’t get at home and I feel like it’s very big for kids.”
DYS has been without a permanent home since the city shut down the Carrie Matthews Recreation Center due to foundation issues in 2019.
In December, Decatur city leaders paused any planning for a new youth services facility.
Jackson added that he is at a loss as to why talks for a new DYS facility have been shut down.
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