the city of phoenix may shut down the kids place so they can hire more cops Original Article Kids' Place could soon be shuttered Carol Sowers The Arizona Republic Feb. 16, 2005 12:00 AM SOUTH PHOENIX - Kids' Place, which provides free after-school care for 35 Phoenix children, is going on the auction block April 6. The possible loss of Kids' Place comes just as Phoenix officials are considering shutting down 60 city-paid after-school programs as part of a move to shave nearly $70 million from the city's budget. Carolyn T. Lowery, Kids' Place's founder, owes nearly $36,000 on a worn building at 12th Street and Broadway Road, an area where after-school programs are full or nearing capacity. Constantly struggling to raise money, Lowery, 64, has moved her program seven times in 15 years. Roosevelt Brown, whose family owns the property, said Lowery has not made a mortgage payment for two years. "We've always believed in what she is doing," he said. "But I've stalled my other siblings as long as I can. I think we have a right to do what we want with the property." Shaiba Allen-Barry, president of the Caribbean-American Association and a nurse practitioner, said she is impressed with Lowery's work and plans to help her by applying for state and city grants that could mean as much as $200,000 for Kids' Place. She envisions buying the dilapidated building with the grant money, razing it and building a children's multicultural center. Lowery is far from giving up. "We started in the parks," she said. "We might just have to go back to the parks." Reach the reporter at carol.sowers@arizonarepublic.com or (602) 444-8058. http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/0216phxkids.html Kids' Place could soon be shuttered Carol Sowers The Arizona Republic Feb. 16, 2005 12:00 AM SOUTH PHOENIX - Kids' Place, which provides free after-school care for 35 Phoenix children, is going on the auction block April 6. The possible loss of Kids' Place comes just as Phoenix officials are considering shutting down 60 city-paid after-school programs as part of a move to shave nearly $70 million from the city's budget. Carolyn T. Lowery, Kids' Place's founder, owes nearly $36,000 on a worn building at 12th Street and Broadway Road, an area where after-school programs are full or nearing capacity. Constantly struggling to raise money, Lowery, 64, has moved her program seven times in 15 years. Roosevelt Brown, whose family owns the property, said Lowery has not made a mortgage payment for two years. "We've always believed in what she is doing," he said. "But I've stalled my other siblings as long as I can. I think we have a right to do what we want with the property." Shaiba Allen-Barry, president of the Caribbean-American Association and a nurse practitioner, said she is impressed with Lowery's work and plans to help her by applying for state and city grants that could mean as much as $200,000 for Kids' Place. She envisions buying the dilapidated building with the grant money, razing it and building a children's multicultural center. Lowery is far from giving up. "We started in the parks," she said. "We might just have to go back to the parks." Reach the reporter at carol.sowers@arizonarepublic.com or (602) 444-8058.