Community Initiatives
Mayor Marks enthusiastically serves the community through a variety of community outreach programs. Use the links below to learn more about each program, including how you can get involved!
Tallahassee: A City That Reads
"There are few things more important to teach children than the love of reading. In today's society of high tech, fast paced living it would be easy to take for granted the basic necessity and pure joy associated with reading. As parents, grandparents or just good community citizens it is vital for all of us to do all we can to encourage kids to read and to help them create a lifetime love affair with books."
In 2008, the Office of the Mayor commenced an exciting partnership with WFSU and PBS Raising Readers, which increased the scope and activities of the Tallahassee: A Community that Reads program. Now, through the combined efforts of project partners, and additionally with assistance from Leon County Schools, Barnes and Noble, the City of Tallahassee, Tallahassee Community College, Martha Speaks, and other sponsors, this program can do even more to promote literacy throughout our community. This program is in complement to the Governor's Just Read Florida program. Currently, the program releases the Mayor's monthly book list, which features a selection of books chosen for parents and children to enjoy together. The goal of this program is to foster and develop a love for reading and encourage daily reading by citizens of all ages. Come join the fun and get reading with our monthly book list!
The Big Bend Region Mentoring Initiative
As part of the Big Bend Region Mentoring Initiative, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Big Bend is working to enlist 4,000 new African-American mentors by the year 2010. The Mayor encourages local residents to apply to become a mentor and enrich their own lives as well as that of a child in our community. The goal of this initiative is to bring together mentoring organizations, traditional civil rights organizations, faith-based community agencies, business partners, and community activists. All have the capacity to mobilize and begin supplying the African-American mentors needed throughout our community.
If citizens are interested in applying to become a mentor to a local child, please download and complete the application (PDF).
Volunteer Opportunities
There are hundreds of opportunities for Tallahassee citizens to get more involved in their local community. One way to be a voice for the community is to apply for a position on a Citizen Advisory Board/Committee.
Citizen Advisory Boards serve as the eyes and ears for many areas of city policy making. During regular meetings, they research and discuss important issues in their area of interest and report back to the City Departments, Mayor and City Commission.
If interested in making a difference in this way, visit our Citizen Advisory Board page for more information and a downloadable application.