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…
Thank you to the participants of the Foster Angel Tree at the Children’s Board! Community Stepping Stones and Senior Girl Scout Troop 1218 crafted foster angel ornaments that adorned the tree in the Children’s Board lobby. Each ornament had a tag with a name and gift requests of a child who has been separated from their family…
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
