MULBERRY, Fla. — Lifelong Mulberry resident Julie Taylor founded the nonprofit Concerned Citizens of Mulberry and Surrounding Areas, Inc. in 1993 to address the needs of the community.
"The community was just infested with drugs. Back in the 90's the drug community had just taken over,” Taylor said.
Years later the retired teacher realized young people lacked the skills they needed to be responsible, self-sufficient members of society. That’s when Save Our Youth or SOY was started.
“We have three days a week Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays when they come and we focus on academics,” Taylor said.
It is a free after school tutoring program for students K-12 but it’s more than just improving math and reading levels. Students are learning life skills.
“They don't know how to do anything. They don't know how to cook, how to sew a button on a dress. They don't know how to change a tire, so all those things we’ll be focusing on as well,” Taylor said.
Current and retired teachers volunteer as tutors. The City of Mulberry has given them a building and schools have donated furniture. Taylor said they are still in need of some crucial supplies to keep the program running.
“Computer, printers, copy paper, pencils, glue, carpet, a 15x12 carpet for one of our classrooms. We do need a vacuum cleaner, scissors all the different things that we can really use to help our program,” Taylor said.
Right now, there are 16 students participating in the SOY program, with room for more. All on the path to becoming the leaders of tomorrow.
“We’re training up leaders, good leaders. The main thing is we want our citizens to be productive, law-abiding citizens,” Taylor said.
“You know, it might just be time we take a look if HOAs are really even necessary.
Maybe we should just do away with homeowner associations as a whole.”
South Florida lawmaker Rep. Juan Carlos Porras (R-Miami) says it may be time to do away with homeowners associations altogether, as more Floridians speak out about rising fees, costly lawsuits, and even arrests tied to HOA disputes. He said this week that he is considering filing legislation in the next session that would abolish HOAs statewide.
