Dear Community Partners,
Summer is here and I’m thrilled to see so many partners offering safe, enriching programming for children in our community. Together with Hillsborough County BOCC, the Children’s Board has been funding Summer Services for many years. These grants fund program enhancements in the areas of STEM, safety, character development, literacy, art, and fitness and nutrition. Partner agencies include The Family Enrichment Center, the Housing Authority of the City of Tampa, Redefiners World Languages, Tampa Heights Junior Civic Association, the Tampa Metropolitan Area YMCA, and Gentlemen’s Quest.
In April, under the leadership of our Board of Directors, we began exploring options to expand summer camp opportunities with our partners if additional funds were available. We are pleased to share that several programs have been able to increase the number of summer camp slots with Children’s Board funding, including the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Tampa Bay, the YMCA, the Housing Authority.
The Boys & Girls Clubs, the largest expansion, created 422 additional camp slots at nine local clubs, including Belmont, Brandon, Dover, Freddie Solomon, Garcia Salesian, Riverview, Temple Terrace, West Plant City, and Wimauma. Their 8-week summer program offers a structured environment filled with educational activities, recreation, and social-emotional development opportunities.
Additionally in May, the Board approved a contract with the Early Learning Coalition of Hillsborough County to fund a research-based six-week Summer Boost program for 430 preschool children. This program provides intensive reading and math supports to prevent the “summer slide” and better prepare children for kindergarten.
As the temperature rises and families flock to pools, lakes and beaches, it is important to make water safety a priority. Children can drown in as little as 20 seconds, so a few simple precautions can go a long way in keeping our kids safe. Installing barriers to prevent children from having direct access to water, designating a water watcher while children are in or near water, and enrolling children in swim lessons can make all the difference in preventing a tragedy. The Children’s Board proudly continues to fund water safety classes at High 5, Inc. For additional water safety information to keep kids safe, please visit www.preventneedlessdeaths.com.
Wishing you a safe and healthy summer.
