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The Children’s Trust Board of Directors approved on Monday, April 17, 2023, a $383 million funding allocation to support 143 after-school and summer camp programs in Miami-Dade County over the next five years. This represents an overall increase in Trust-funded program locations from 484 to 682, including a 41% expansion in priority areas. The robust support is part of The Trust’s continuous five-year community needs assessment and funding planning process, with $76.7 million provided to programs annually, so long as the programs continue meeting required standards of care and upon annual Board approval. The funding recommendations were made following an extensive and transparent RFP process.
“Securing sufficient funding is crucial for us and other providers to continue to deliver valuable services to our communities in Miami,” said Shownda Pagan, CEO of Trust-funded service provider Belafonte TACOLCY Center, located in Liberty City. “Together, we can ensure that every child has access to a safe, supportive, and engaging environment that facilitates their academic and personal development.”
This investment is expected to benefit over 36,000 school-aged children and youth across Miami-Dade. A portion of the funded programs also include a particular focus on helping teens who have dropped out or are disconnected from school or work, and those who are involved in the child welfare or juvenile justice systems.
“Funding for these programs will help bridge the achievement gap and ensure children and teens have a safe and engaging place to play, grow, and learn after school and during the summer. At the same time, these programs lift a weight off many working parents,” said The Children’s Trust President & CEO James Haj. “With every five-year cycle, we continue empowering the leaders of tomorrow to become successful, well-rounded individuals who are ready to tackle any challenge that comes their way.”
“I am confident that our investment will positively impact the lives of numerous young people in our community to help them develop new skills, build confidence, and create lasting memories,” said Trust Board Chairman Ken Hoffman. “I am proud of the leadership of our Board and the work of The Children’s Trust staff to make this historic funding commitment possible.”
The five-year investment aims to deliver high-quality programming for elementary, middle, and high school-aged students and engages them in activities that increase school attendance, improve academic performance, decrease risky behaviors and prevent summer learning loss. These programs will offer academic assistance, social and emotional wellness, physical and mental health support, and supervised environments to ensure the safety of all participants. Additionally, all Trust-funded after-school and summer programs are enriching, accessible, affordable, inclusive, and accommodate children and youth with disabilities.
In addition to these essential services, each of the programs will also offer enrichment opportunities related to at least two of the following areas: STEM, arts, cultural programming with a focus on bilingualism, civic engagement, sports, and post-secondary supports related to jobs, careers, entrepreneurship, life skills and college readiness. The 143 funded service providers range from grassroots and neighborhood-focused community-based organizations, to municipal and university entities.
Editor’s Note:
Click Here for b-roll of Trust-funded summer camps and afterschool programs, as well as stillimagesfrom today’s news conference.
Click Here to watch the recording of the news conference livestream, including impact stories from a justice-involved youth and parent who relies upon one of the funded programs.
Below is a full list of the funded grantees:
| Year-round Programs | ||
| Abundant Living Citi Church, Inc. | American Children’s Orchestra for Peace, Inc. | Adults Mankind Organization, Inc. |
| Amigos Together for Kids | Area Performance Gallery, Inc. | Armour Dance Theater, Inc. |
| Arts for Learning/Miami, Inc. | Ayuda, Inc. | Barry University |
| Belafonte Tacolcy Center, Inc. | Big Ideas Educational Services, Inc. | Boys and Girls Club of Miami-Dade, Inc. |
| Branches, Inc. | Carlmar, Inc. DBA Town Center Preschool | Casa Valentina, Inc. |
| Centro Campesino Farmworker Center, Inc. | Children’s Village DBA The Resource Room | City of Hialeah |
| City of Miami Beach | City of Miami Gardens | City of North Miami Employee Assistance Trust Fund, Inc. |
| City of North Miami Beach | Community Coalition | Concerned African Women, Inc. |
| Cuban American National Council (CNC) | Dave and Mary Alper Jewish Community Center, Inc. | Easter Seals South Florida, Inc. |
| Early Childhood Quality Consultants, LLC DBA Playing the Game of Life | Educate Tomorrow | Empowering Youth, Inc. |
| EnFamilia, Inc. | Excel Kids Academy, Inc. | Family Christian Association of America, Inc. |
| Family Action Network Movement, Inc. | Fantasy Land Academy Corp | Federation of Families, Miami-Dade Chapter, Inc. |
| Fit Kids of America | Florida International University Board of Trustees: Center for Children and Families | Florida International University Board of Trustees: College of Engineering and Computing Sciences |
| Florida International University Board of Trustees: College of Arts, Sciences & Education | Florida Film Institute, Inc. | FLOTA, Inc. |
| Foundation of Community Assistance and Leadership, Inc. | Future Leaders Academy of Kendall, Corp. | Gang Alternative, Inc. |
| Girl Power Rocks, Inc. | Greater Miami Youth Symphony of Dade County, Florida, Inc. | Hosanna Community Foundation, Inc. |
| Jonathan Spikes Foundation, Inc. | Judah Christian Center Ministries, Inc. | Just Kids, Inc. |
| Kayleen’s Learning Center Corp | Kids Learning Center of South Dade, Inc. | Kids Learning Center of South Dade III, Inc. |
| Kidworks USA, Inc. | Knowledge Builders of Florida, Inc. | La Vina del Senor, Inc. |
| Leadership Learning Center at Saint John Bosco, Inc. | Liberty Academy, Inc. | Liberty City Optimist Club of Florida, Inc. |
| Llirrafo, Inc. DBA O’Farrill Learning Center | Mexican American Council, Inc. | Miami-Dade County: Parks, Recreation & Open Spaces |
| Miami Dance Project, Inc. | Miami Music Festival, Inc. | Multi-ethnic Youth Group Association, Inc. |
| Musicall, Inc. | New Hope Development Center, Inc. | New Jerusalem, Inc. |
| OIC of South Florida, Inc. | Opa-Locka Community Development Corp, Inc. | Overtown Youth Center, Inc. |
| Peace CDC, Inc. | Prosperity Social and Community Development Group, Inc. | Recapturing the Vision, International, Inc. |
| Richmond Perrine Optimist Club, Inc. | Sanrau Corporation | SBC Community Development Corporation of Richmond Heights, Inc. |
| Shepherd of God Christian Academy, Corp. | Small World Day Care and Preschool, Inc. | Southern Homestead Soccer Academy, Inc. |
| Sports Konnect, Inc. | Start off Smart, Inc. | Strong Girls, Inc. |
| Sunflowers Academy, Inc. | Teen Up-Ward Bound, Inc. | The ARC of South Florida, Inc. |
| The Motivational Edge, Inc. | The Optimist Foundation of Greater Goulds, Florida, Inc. | The Promised Land Academy for Christian Education, Inc. |
| The Thinking Child Educational Programs, Inc. | The Urban League of Greater Miami, Inc. | Thumbelina Learning Center, Corp |
| Thumbelina Play and Learn Center, Inc. | Tiger and Dragon Group, Inc. | Tiny Town Day Care Center, Inc. |
| Touching Miami with Love Ministries, Inc. | Town of Bay Harbor Islands | Town of Cutler Bay |
| Trinity Church, Inc. | University of Miami: Frost School of Music | United Cerebral Palsy Association of Miami, Inc. |
| Urgent, Inc. | Victory for Youth, Inc. | WCA Private School, Inc. |
| Young Men’s Christian Association of Greater Miami | Young Leaders Academy, Inc. | Young Women’s Christian Association of Greater Miami and Dade County, Inc. |
| Zamlus, Inc. | ||
| School-year Only Programs | |
| Be Strong International | Blossom Group Florida, LLC |
| Cayuga Home For Children, Inc. | First Step Champions |
| Greater Miami Youth for Christ, Inc. | Guitars Over Guns, Inc. |
| Haitian Neighborhood Center Sant La, LLC | Miami-Dade County: Community Action and Human Services Department |
| Miami Music Project, Inc. | The Miami Children’s Museum, Inc. |
| Young Musicians Unite, Inc. | |
| Summer-only Programs | |
| Achieve Miami, Inc. | Adrienne Arsht Center Trust, Inc. |
| Breakthrough Miami | First Serve Miami, Inc. |
| Florida Introduces Physical Activity and Nutrition to Youth, Inc. | Global Speech and Rehab Services, LLC |
| Honey Shine, Inc. | Lutheran Services Florida, Inc. |
| Miami Dade College | Miami Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Inc. |
| Michael-Ann Russell Jewish Community Center, Inc. | Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship, Inc. |
| S.E.E.K. Foundation, Inc. | Shake-A-Leg Miami, Inc. |
| South Florida Autism Center, Inc. | St. Alban’s Day Nursery, Inc. |
| University of Miami: School of Education and Human Development | University of Miami: School of Law |
| University of Miami-Nova Southeastern University: Center for Autism and Related Disabilities (CARD) | |
