Children’s Board Executive Director, Kelley Parris Discusses Safe Sleep and Choosing a Safe Caregiver on the “Morning Blend”


FOX 13 News HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. – The Hillsborough County school district announced a new program Friday that is aimed at helping students whose families are facing homelessness avoid ending up on the streets. The program, called Pathways to Hope, launched in March, allowing the district and its partners in the community to hit the ground running when the…
WUSF Public Media – WUSF 89.7 “Pathways to Hope” is helping Hillsborough students and their families reduce the risk of homelessness, which school officials say is a rising issue. The number of students experiencing homelessness in Hillsborough County is on the rise. According to the Florida Department of Education, more than 4,000 students found themselves in…
By Kelly Wise Valdes – May 31, 2024 Now that summer is here, Hillsborough County launched Safe Pools Day Tampa Bay, which was aimed at educating families about practicing pool safety while they enjoy swimming this summer. Florida leads the nation in drowning deaths of children 4 years old or younger, and most of the…
Bob Simon | Tuesday, March 5, 2024 Each year in the United States, 3,400 babies die suddenly while sleeping, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention statistics. The cause can be suffocation from a pillow or blankets, co-sleeping with a parent or another adult caregiver or getting wedged between a mattress and the side of a crib….
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Dear Community Partners,
Spring marks a busy season as we prepare for upcoming summer programs, which include our grants for Passports, Enhancements, and Slots each addressing the unique resources needed by community partners. We appreciate our continued collaboration with Hillsborough County in co‑funding some of these initiatives. We are excited that three Passport partners will also offer Spring Break camps.
We are pleased to share several recent funding approvals from the February Board meeting that support our strategic planning service priorities. Mental Health Wellness grants were awarded to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Tampa Bay, Gulf Coast Jewish Family and Community Services, Inc., and the University of South Florida. In separate efforts, the Early Learning Coalition of Hillsborough County was approved for funding to support childcare accreditation within the ONEhillsborough zip codes of 33603, 33610, and 33619, and the Tampa Metropolitan Area YMCA was approved for a water safety grant to expand drowning‑prevention programs countywide.
While the new funding release period for this fiscal year is nearing conclusion, the Match/Leveraged Investments and Emerging Needs Funding categories remain open. Additional information is available on the Funding Opportunities page on our website.
I am delighted to share two upcoming events and invite you to join us. Keeping Kids Safe is a free community day for children and families hosted by several partners on March 28th at the Skills Center in East Tampa. Our annual Child Abuse Prevention Month Event is on April 3rd, which will feature several speakers and the presentation of our Family Support Champion awards. We encourage advance registration for those planning to attend either event.
I look forward to seeing you in the community.
Rebecca
