DAVENPORT, IA (06/02/2010)(readMedia)-- Local youth leader Chantell Lamont, Davenport, received an award recently for making a difference in the Quad Cities. The QC (Quality and Commitment) Award, given by the Council on Community Services of the Quad Cities (CCSQC), recognized Lamont's work with foster youth through Children & Families of Iowa's Elevate program.
The CCSQC is a coalition of nonprofit organizations operating throughout the Quad Cities Area. Elevate is a support group for foster youth, ages 13 and up, that meets regularly to improve the lives of youth in state care.
CCSQC selection committee chair Kathryn Griffith, R.N, M.S., explains why Lamont's nomination drew the committee's attention and ultimately won her the award, "The nomination was very well done. It was obvious that she [Lamont] goes above and beyond. She is committed to making better citizens out of these youth who've had some really tough brakes and that's great for our community."
Lamont was nominated in the Outstanding Individual category by Amy Hartog and Libbet Brooke, health educators at the Edgerton Women's Health Center, located in Davenport. Hartog, a frequent guest speaker at Elevate meetings, educates youth on a variety of health-related topics. "We nominated Chantell for providing quality and commitment to the children in the Elevate program in the Quad Cities area, and she won. We are ecstatic! She is very deserving. We saw firsthand how well she interacts and communicates with these kids. She is a great mentor and role model and helps them make better choices for their futures. Chantell is someone who has been through the system [state foster care], has thrived and has been successful at making a great life for herself," says Hartog.
The majority of youth who reach adulthood while in foster care do not get the chance to develop critical life skills - skills that enable others their age to succeed. Without consistent role models to demonstrate financial management, job preparedness or the basics of personal health, these teens have had to focus on surviving, rather than thriving. According to the Iowa Department of Human Services, a little more than half of those who "age out" will graduate from high school within four years of release from care. By this same four-year mark, fewer than 20 percent will be able to support themselves financially.
In light of these alarming odds, Children & Families of Iowa and the Department of Human Services began Elevate in 2005. The program's mission is to transition foster youth into independent adults and self-advocates who can successfully educate others about the child welfare system.
"We think Elevate is an awesome and much-needed program, and we hope to see more chapters open up across the state," adds Hartog.
Lamont echoes that sentiment. "I'm truly honored and grateful for this award. I view this as a great opportunity to gain exposure and connections in the community for Elevate. I hope that Elevate keeps growing and gains the support needed to open chapters in more communities, reach more youth and continue to make a difference the way we have been.'"
There are currently 10 chapters of Elevate located in the following communities: Ames, Cedar Rapids, Council Bluffs, Davenport, Des Moines, Dubuque, Fort Dodge, Mason City, Storm Lake and Waterloo. The Davenport Elevate group meets from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on the second and fourth Thursdays of month at the Annie Wittenmyer Complex, 2800 Eastern Ave., Cottage 13. For more information or to volunteer, you can contact Chantell Lamont at 563-381-3741 or chantell.elevate@hotmail.com.
Children & Families of Iowa is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to restoring hope, building futures and changing lives throughout Iowa. With offices in Ankeny, Centerville, Des Moines, Fort Dodge, Marshalltown and Osceola, Children & Families of Iowa is restoring hope for victims of domestic violence, helping teens find their futures, creating safe homes for children, preparing children to succeed and helping people reshape their lives. Last year, Children & Families of Iowa served more than 21,000 individuals in all of Iowa's 99 counties.
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