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Many of us believe the biblical admonishment, idle hands are a devil's playground.

While many others just don't support spending money on efforts that help other people's kids.

When you put politics aside, that is essentially the ideological difference that separates the people who support Gov. Quinn and those who are boosting GOP nominee Bill Brady.

Quinn thinks the state still has a responsibility to support social service efforts, while Brady has promised to slash state spending across the board.

Given the level of youth violence and hooliganism some of us are witnessing, the state cannot justify failing to invest in programs that help keep youth engaged in positive activities.

One of the organizations that has directed young people for decades celebrated a major victory last week.

In July, Quinn signed HB 3631, legislation that sets up a grant program that will provide 5,000 youths with 10-week summer employment.

In 2005, the organization, Kenwood-Oakland Community Organization, also known as KOCO, started the Youth Employment Campaign to push for youth jobs.

KOCO is located at 1005 E. 43rd and is one of the oldest grass-roots organizations in the city.

For this campaign, KOCO formed a coalition with other groups, including the Albany Park Neighborhood Council, M.A.G.I.C., and Enlace, a community organization serving Pilsen and Little Village.

"We advocated on the state level for three years, and the bill got caught up in the state's budget crisis," said Shannon Bennett, who has been a lead organizer for about 15 years.

"Now it's been signed by the governor and will actually become law."

KOCO was unable to get Quinn to do a public bill signing, but the group did get a proclamation from his office.

"In areas like Albany Park, the lack of community centers, jobs, Boys and Girls Clubs and a lot of basic things that young people need to improve their quality of life have left a void," noted Bennett.

"[The youth] did the research and found they have no employment opportunities," he said.

Thanks to their efforts, more young people should be able to find work next summer.

Ronnie Thomas, 21, worked on the campaign from its inception. A high school drop- out, Thomas attends an alternative school for adults where he is working toward a diploma.

"From the beginning and until now it's been about helping me and several of my friends to get jobs and to find a positive way to stay active in our community," Thomas said.

"We'd meet at KOCO, and we learned how we could make a change in our community."

The youth organized under the name LIFE, which stands for Leaders Investing For Equality.

"It took a lot of hard work and dedication," noted Osha Dancy, a 15-year-old student at Walter H. Dyett High School.

Dancy was in the sixth grade when he walked through KOCO's doors.

"When I heard about that [House Bill 3631], it was an opportunity for me and others in my community to get off the street and get opportunities in the future to do something better," Dancy said.

"Also at a young age, I'm learning organizing. I've traveled to Denver. I didn't get to go to Washington, D.C., but I heard it was exciting. I also traveled to places like Detroit. It was great," he said.

Efforts like this are worth every dime of taxpayers' money.

**

Thank you for the outpouring of offers to help Leona Allgood, the nearly 90-year-old South Side woman who is under siege by disorderly teens on her block.

Two male members of Allgood's church, Greater Walters AME Zion, have stepped up to repair some of her vandalized property.

Several members of the "Deborah Movement," a group of women who have modeled themselves after a biblical prophet, have agreed to make regular sweeps past Allgood's house. The group is associated with "The Black Star Project," a highly respected education advocacy group.

I've also called Allgood's alderman, Michelle Harris (8th), to solicit her help.

I'm grateful to everyone who reached out with sincere offers of support.

I'll keep you posted.