The Concerned Citizens of Mulberry is a community-focused group dedicated to improving Mulberry and its nearby areas through volunteering, advocacy, and engagement. They address local issues, share helpful resources, and connect people with opportunities to create a stronger, safer, and more united community. Get involved by keeping up with their updates on events and initiatives and inviting your neighbors to join the movement.
A Mulberry educator has started a free afterschool program to tutor kids and teach essential life skills. "We’re training up leaders, good leaders. The main goal is to help our citizens become productive, law-abiding members of society," they shared about the SOY Program.
Julie Taylor, a lifelong Mulberry resident, founded the nonprofit Concerned Citizens of Mulberry and Surrounding Areas, Inc. in 1993 to address community needs. "The community just infested with drugs. Back in the '90s, the drug community had just taken over," Taylor explained.
Years later, Taylor, a retired teacher, noticed young people lacked the skills to be responsible, self-sufficient members of society. This led to the creation of Save Our Youth, or SOY.
“We meet three days a week—Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays—to focus on academics,” said Taylor. The free program is for students K-12, improving math and reading levels while also teaching practical life skills. “They don’t know how to do anything—cook, sew a button, change a tire—so we’ll focus on those too,” she added.
The program is supported by current and retired teachers who volunteer as tutors. The City of Mulberry provided a building, and schools donated furniture. However, Taylor mentioned they still need vital supplies like computers, printers, paper, pencils, glue, classroom carpets, scissors, and a vacuum cleaner to keep the program running.
Currently, 16 students are enrolled in the SOY program, with room for more, all working toward becoming tomorrow’s leaders. “We’re training up leaders, good leaders. We want our citizens to be productive, law-abiding members of society,” Taylor emphasized.
Julie Taylor loves to serve others in her hometown of Mulberry
MULBERRY, Fla. — A Mulberry woman has become a beloved figure in her city. Julie Taylor is involved in many good causes in Mulberry.
On a recent evening, Taylor was at the Studio 37 community center in Mulberry, making sure the volunteers at the Save Our Youth program had everything set up for the children who were coming for the after-school program also known as SOY.
“What about the sign-in sheets? Are all of those checked?” said Taylor to the volunteers. The snacks for the children included juice packs, and chips were ready too.
“So, we are just getting set up so when they come in they can just sit out here. So, when the bell rings they won’t have to worry about it. Just go right on in,” she said. The children got their snacks outside while they sat on chairs under the former bank building’s drive-through area.
Taylor started the SOY program years ago so children could get some extra academic help and wholesome activities.
“We want our young people to be good citizens. We also want our young people to be educated,” said Taylor. “That’s one of the main goals, that they get a good quality education. If you have a good education, there is nothing that can stop you from doing what you want to do.”
Taylor said she has many faithful volunteers for the program. “We could not have a good SOY program without the children and the parents. They want to learn, and that’s the main thing.”
Taylor is also known for giving monthly community updates to city commissioners at their meeting.
“Well, Ms. Taylor is our ace in the hole,” said Commissioner Neil Devine. “She’s very politically active, and she really doesn’t know it. Ms. Taylor is known everywhere in the city of Mulberry.”
Taylor is also president of the Concerned Citizens of Mulberry organization. It helps run community cultural events and big back to school events to provide children with school supplies.
Taylor loves her city. “Everybody knows everybody,” she said. “I went to school here. Go to church here. We go to Walmart together. Everybody knows everybody. It’s a small town, but it does great things. And the people here love each other.”
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