- The Children's Services Council of Leon County is pouring $2.5 million into youth development programs.
- It's a historic investment allowing several youth development programs to operate year-round.
- Families in need can enroll at the upcoming Family and Youth Services Expo.
- Watch the video to learn how the funding will help these programs continue serving children in vulnerable communities.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
A historic investment towards the programs that shape the children of Leon County. I'm Kenya Cardonne, your Southeast Tallahassee neighborhood reporter. The Children's Services Council of Leon County has approved $2.5 million of funding to be poured into youth development programs serving our communities.
Holly McPhail, Director of Special Projects with CSC Leon County - "When we have strong families, we have strong communities, and part of that is easing the burden of, 'what are your kids up to?'"
The price tag on an effort aiming to help ease that burden — $2.5 million.
It's an investment that CSC Leon is funneling into 13 youth development programs targeting underserved families in neighborhoods like Frenchtown, Griffin Heights, South City, Cross Creek and Fort Braden.
McPhail - "Child care is expensive, and we wanted to make sure that we're not only expanding access to just child care, but high-quality programs that are really going to help children and youth succeed."
The investment will allow for seven of the 13 programs to operate year-round, not just in the summer.
Holly McPhail, Director of Special Projects, tells me it's a first for CSC Leon and part of their plan to maintain impact and success on the development of our kids.
McPhail - "One of our goals actually is looking at: how do we decrease the interactions of children in youth with the juvenile justice system as well as increase youth mental health? All of those are wrapped into high-quality youth development programs."
One of the year-round programs cashing in on the investment is the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Big Bend. The money will go specifically towards their clubs servicing Renaissance Academy and Fort Braden.
Kelsey Boyer, Executive Assistant with Boys and Girls Clubs of the Big Bend - "This funding that we are about to receive from CSC will help continue to be able to provide the services that we do for the youth there, in terms of transportation, staffing, mentors, volunteers. We'll be able to continue serving those kids and be able to continue the establishment that our parents are loving so much. We'll be able to keep it going."
On the back-end of their current funding, the Fort Braden club can now operate for another full year, thanks to funding that will also cover the enrollment of 100 new children and 60 for Renaissance Academy.
Boyer - "We're very fortunate to be able to receive this money. I'm not sure what we would have been able to do if we had not received that CSC funding."
CSC Leon is hosting its Family and Youth Services Expo on Saturday, March 22 at FAMU Developmental Research School. That's where these 13 programs and countless other resources will be standing by to enroll families in need. In Southeast Tallahassee, Kenya Cardonne ABC 27.
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