The Return on Investment (ROI) associated with this type of spending item is further significant: by engaging with these groups early, we save on costs associated with disquiet youths which can include expenditure on police enforcement and within the criminal justice system, and higher expenditure requirements on security in schools and other youth environments.

However, the real gem of this type of program is the ROI in the form of vastly improved outcomes for the community youth who participate. By providing mentors to these vulnerable groups, we can facilitate and even catalyze their engagement with education, personal development, and hopefully even their own participation in programs like these. Thus the economic benefits to the region are huge as we flip potential costs into real gains.

Chilling funding to this program would be a misstep by Florida as we work together to keep this state a place where people and businesses want to live and do business.