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April 2, 2007
Contact: Ruby Haughton-Pitts
rhaughton-pitts@metgroup.com
773.268.4444

Reclaiming Futures and Austin YMCA launch campaign to recruit mentors for juvenile court teens

Project launches "When You Were 15" campaign at Annual Marx Fund Gala

Chicago, IL (April 2, 2007) – Reclaiming Futures is launching a campaign to encourage adults to become mentors for teens who are struggling with drugs, alcohol and crime.

"When You Were 15" is being launched May 5th at 4:00 p.m. at a press event at the Galleria Marchetti also the location of the Annual Marx Fund Gala. The campaign features local celebrities and adults who recall their own lives at 15 and the adults who helped them get through tough times. Community members are encouraged to log on to www.whenyouwere15.org/chicago/ to find out how they can help teens in their community.

The essays will be on display at the Galleria Marchetti for the entire evening and the essay writers will attend the press conference and the Marx Fund Gala. "We want to raise community awareness about the need for more mentors, especially for teens in the justice system" said Rose Golden, Project Director for Reclaiming Futures Cook County.

Reclaiming Futures, an initiative of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, is committed to getting more help for teens in the justice system who have drug and alcohol problems. A key element of the Reclaiming Futures model is to involve more adults as positive role models in the lives of these teens.

"Most people can think back to a time in their teenage lives when they were having a tough time and recall one adult who had a particularly positive influence them," said Rose Golden, Reclaiming Futures Project Director. "Reclaiming Futures wants to encourage people to become a mentor or natural helper, or to provide opportunities for teens to engage in healthy, positive community and social activities."

People interested in becoming a mentor or learning more about the campaign can find more information at www.whenyouwere15.org/chicago/.

About Reclaiming Futures
Reclaiming Futures is a $21 million initiative of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation located in Anchorage, Alaska; Santa Cruz, Calif.; Chicago, Ill.; three counties in Eastern Kentucky; Marquette, Mich.; the state of New Hampshire; the Lakota Reservation in Rosebud, South Dakota; Dayton, Ohio; Portland, Ore.; and Seattle, Wash. In its fifth year, an evaluation conducted by the Urban Institute and the University of Chicago indicates the program has significantly improved the quality of juvenile justice and substance abuse treatment services across the 10 communities. Reclaiming Futures is housed in the Graduate School of Social Work at Portland State University. To learn more, visit www.reclaimingfutures.org and www.rwjf.org.

About the Austin YMCA and Y Pals Program
The Austin YMCA offers a diverse range of programs that inspire young people to lead, bring families closer together, and encourage individual health and well-being. Through the Y Pals adult mentoring program, responsible and dependable adults commit to at least 1 hour of service per week at the Austin Y, they complete a mentor training, and agree to accept a child as an individual and show patients and understanding in dealing with the youths limitations and problems.

About The Marx Fund
The Marx Fund is a tax-exempt, charitable foundation named to commemorate the lives of probation officer Harold Marx and his wife Rosemarie who personally funded activities and experiences that would improve and enrich the lives of court children. The Marx Fund continues the legacy started by Harold and Rosemarie with probation staff volunteers who donate their time and professional services to ensure that the Marx Fund operates with virtually no administrative overhead.

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