|
Alpha House of Tampa
With a grant of $10,000, Alpha House continued support of their Parents as Teachers program with resident mothers and their children. The Parents as Teachers’ philosophy encourages mothers to be their child’s first teacher, armed with the tools and knowledge to ensure that their child thrives in a healthy and well-adjusted way, both physically and emotionally. The program focuses on the child’s developmental needs during the ages of 0-5. Alpha House counselors are able to provide information to mothers about the stages of development every child will experience along with how to recognize and track their child’s progress. Gaining an understanding of their child’s progress gives young mothers the skills needed to interact with her child in a way that maximizes his or her developmental potential. Inexperienced mothers have the opportunity to gain a sense of a confidence in their parenting skills and are better able to prepare their children to become independent, young adults.
ASAP Homeless Services
A $10,000 grant was awarded to ASAP Homeless Services, a drop-in center and emergency shelter for the homeless that strives to guide impoverished families and their children to self-sufficiency and independent living. Funding will provide support to the organization’s newly opened children’s learning center, adjacent to their emergency shelter. The Children’s Learning Center will offer children of homeless families and other disadvantaged youth enhanced after-school activities, including tutorial assistance and homework club, along with an expanded media center and children’s computer stations that will help to meet the developmental and educational needs of at-risk children in the St. Petersburg community. Students will receive individualized tutoring in core academic subjects, reading and math, by vetted community volunteers that will increase each child’s ability to succeed in a positive and supportive environment. The Hobbs Foundation provided teaching tools, audio/visual equipment, and an educational computer package to the learning center’s that supports an innovative, interactive learning experience with activities that improve reading comprehension, arithmetic, problem-solving and critical thinking skills in a way that promotes creativity and imagination.
Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Tampa Bay
Big Brothers, Big Sisters received a grant for $10,000 to fund their organization’s Big for a Day Event, located at MacDill Air Force Base. Big for a Day is a day-long activity that allows 100 children who have not yet been matched with a "Big" to be paired with a member of the Air Force who will serve as each "Little’s" volunteer mentor. The children will have the opportunity to meet with their potential "Big" and experience a day of fun and games along with a tour of the base. The children served at Big for a Day and all of the organization’s events are those who show a number of risk factors and will benefit the most from a healthy interaction with a mentor who may help guide them through their struggles and lead them on a path to success. These risk factors include growing up in a family living below poverty level, being raised in a single-parent family, having a caretaker or family member suffering from a life-threatening illness, etc. The remainder of the grant was used for a trip to the Florida Aquarium, Cypress Gardens, and the Lowry Park Zoo for the children and their "Bigs." The trip was a time for the children to bond and play with their mentors, an experience that their families would otherwise be unable to afford.
Blooming Place for Kids
Through a network of social services, Blooming Place for Kids provides a residential summer camp program that promotes positive values and self-esteem, encourages teamwork and sharing, as well as individual growth and character development, paving the way for a successful, and productive future for foster care children. Blooming Place for Kids received a $10,000 grant that will sponsor an additional group of children to attend the Blooming Place summer camp intervention and prevention program designed to exemplify positive role models and self-confidence. The program allows at-risk children to develop healthy relationships and engage in positive learning activities that promote social, emotional, developmental maturity and self-reliance that helps them to overcome the adversity all foster care youth face. Blooming Place counselors measure the effectiveness and success of the summer camp program by evaluating each child’s individual progress in academics, individual growth, and life goals that improve the child’s perception of their station in life and gives them the motivation they will need to move forward into adulthood.
Boys and Girls Clubs of Tampa Bay
The Boys and Girls Clubs offer children of economically disadvantaged families safe, fun, and developmentally appropriate after-school programs that reinforce the lessons and skills they will need to achieve academic success. With a $10,000 grant, The Boys and Girls Club will continue to develop their Project Learn Academic Enrichment Initiative that works to bridge the gap for at-risk youth by integrating fun and educational activities that increase achievement and academic performance, increase confidence in academic abilities, and promote diligence and personal responsibility for his or her individual success. The Hobbs Foundation grant will specifically provide funding for educational field trips and school supplies that enhance the learning experience, helping to illustrate academic-related concepts with increased awareness and engagement.
Brookwood Florida
Brookwood is a licensed therapeutic home for adolescent girls who have suffered from abuse, neglect, and emotional instability. A $10,000 grant was awarded to Brookwood to support the cost of recreational and cultural-enrichment activities that will benefit the 130 foster teen girls residing at the children’s home. Brookwood’s holistic program provides education, counseling, and independent living skills to help these struggling teens to change self-defeating behaviors and develop positive relationships, values, and emotional maturity. With participation in educational activities and recreation, the girls at Brookwood will have the opportunity to discover individual interests and talents that encourages learning, creativity, self-expression, and independence. These experiences will provide personal growth and development with increased awareness and life skills.
Caring Children Clothing Children
The Caring Children Clothing Children mission is to collect and distribute gently used clothing, new shoes, and educational materials to children of socio-economically disadvantaged families in Martin County that helps to improve self-esteem and peer acceptance. The organization also offers younger children individual tutoring on age-appropriate literacy skills and FCAT preparation that encourage letter, color, and number recognition as well as reading comprehension and communication skills. Caring Children Clothing Children received a grant of $10,000 to purchase new shoes, socks, underwear, and Brainy Baby educational materials for the increasing number of children seeking their services.
Central Florida Children’s Home
Central Florida Children’s Home was founded by Eastland Baptist Church whose mission is to care for neglected, abused, and abandoned children. The home provides a stable, secure Christian-based family-like environment with house parents that give children the love and encouragement they need to become productive, responsible adults. An emphasis on academic achievement, character development, and discipline ensures that the children at Central Florida Children’s Home have the skills necessary for achieving a healthy lifestyle and self-sufficiency. A $10,000 grant was provided to support the costs of after-school activities. Children will have the opportunity to become involved in athletic programs including registration fees, equipment, and travel that allows them to participate in positive character building activities that promote leadership, team work, goal-setting, dedication, and a strong work ethic.
Charity Navigator
Charity Navigator received a $10,000 grant that was used to evaluate the financial integrity of 20 non-profit organizations in the Tampa area that were currently not featured on the Charity Navigator website. These organizations are aligned with the mission guidelines set forth by the Hobbs Foundation, those committed to directly benefiting disadvantaged youth.
Computer Mentors Group
Computer Mentors Group provides computer training and information access to children of economically disadvantaged families in the Tampa Bay area. With a $10,000, Computer Mentors Group will be given the opportunity to support their 2010 Technology Bowl, an event that features a panel-style competition where youth compete using their knowledge of computer and technology that further enhances their skill set and academic performance. Participating youth have completed a 6-month computer literacy training program that includes a computer building exercise and certification where they have the opportunity to earn college credit. The Technology Bowl is an experience for students that allow them to continue their education in a fun and engaging way. The material will cover topic areas of the IC3 curriculum, computer fundamentals (the language and history), key applications such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, and Living Online (using the Internet, email, and computer networking) along with additional topics such as computer programming, web design, and graphic arts. Funding will be used to purchase prizes for winners that will encourage their continuing technology education, laptop computers, video gaming systems, flat panel monitors, flash and thumb drives, and lunch for all participating students.
Covenant House Florida
Covenant House was the recipient of a $10,000 grant that supports the Youth Enrichment Services Program that will benefit 1,000 runaway and homeless children and teens, including mothers and their babies. The program will allow youth residing at Covenant House’s emergency crisis shelter the opportunity to participate in activities and events that include monthly field trips to cultural, scientific, and natural environments and, also, monthly cultural enrichment performances. Each of the activities corresponds to their school readings, providing an experience that clarifies and illustrates the subjects they study while increasing cultural awareness and social competence.
Florida Baptist Children’s Home
Faith-based residential care center, Florida Baptist Children’s Home provides family-style cottage living and counseling services for abused, neglected, and abandoned children and care for their physical, emotional, social, and spiritual needs with emphasis on education and positive lifestyle. The Florida Baptist Children’s Home campus also houses an emergency care shelter for immediate placement and foster care/adoption placement agency. With a $10,000 grant, the children’s home will provide a stipend-based life and employment skills enhancement program that will help youth to build the critical skills needed to transition to independent-living. Core subjects include financial management, job skills training, work ethic, goal-setting, and personal responsibility. Students will be evaluated on the performance in pre-employment courses, mock interviews, formal applications and interviews, and budgeting their earnings.
Florida United Methodist Children’s Home
The Florida United Methodist Children’s Home is a private, faith-based nonprofit agency providing a continuum of care including residential treatment, traditional group care, and emergency care services for abused, neglected, and abandoned children. The home received a $10,000 grant that will provide educational equipment for their newly expanding career develoment program for teen youth. The program consists of multiple program tracks offering training in various disciplines beginning with construction technology. Building upon early successes of the Construction Technology Program, Career Development will be expanded to include other disciplines such as computer engineering, nursing, automotive technology, cosmetology, horticulture, animal sciences, and culinary arts. The program will serve as a means of broadening each child’s educational experiences and marketable skills that aids in a successful transition to independent living. The program strives to prepare youth for gainful employment as skilled workers, technicians, and sub-professionals in recognized and emerging occupations. Residents will be assisted in learning how to market and sell goods they produce that will essentially allow the program to be self-sustaining. Students who complete the course will have the ability to demonstrate knowledge of job skills and industry-related concepts to future employers, positive human relations and leadership skills, and self-discipline.
God’s Pedal Power Ministry
God’s Pedal Power is an organization dedicated to providing opportunities for children from economically disadvantaged families in university area of Tampa. Each year during the Christmas holiday season, God’s Pedal Power gives bicycles to children in need in hopes that it will give them the chance to attend school everyday and participate in after-school activities. In an area where many families cannot afford to own a car, finding transportation for their children is often difficult. Giving a child their own bicycle encourages them to take responsibility for their future. With a $10,000 grant, God’s Pedal Power will be able to purchase additional bicycles as well as helmets, light kits, and locks for underserved children in the Hillsborough County Foster Parent system.
Grace Place for Children and Families
Grace Place offers children of impoverished families a faith-based neighborhood center teaching literacy, language and life skills through interactive educational enrichment opportunities that meets each child’s individual needs. Grace Place was awarded a grant of $10,000 to create their Exploring and Engaging Our World Program. The program integrates hands-on science learning with related service projects and field trips that provide disadvantaged children with new experiences that open up a world of discovery and sense of awareness that motivates exploration and creative expression. The first component of the program is an after-school program where children will participate in environmental studies by creating, tending, and harvesting a Global Garden. The garden course requires a child’s intellectual, emotional, and social engagement with their environment enhancing critical thinking and problem-solving skills as they gain knowledge of earth sciences. During the second phase of the program, children will participate in a summer camp experience that exposes them to teaching in marine sciences with field trips to the seaquarium with accompanying lessons that integrate reading and math skills through fun science experiment activities and creative team projects. Afternoon enrichment activities include music, drama, and arts lessons that build character development, critical thinking skills, and personal achievement.
Heartland for Children
Heartland for Children, a leading child welfare agency dedicated to improving safety, stability, and wellbeing for children who are victims of abuse and neglect, was awarded a $10,000 grant to provide basic living furnishings to ease the burden for youth transitioning to independent living. Without the support of family, youth aging out of the foster care system face enormous challenges in taking on the responsibility of functioning as a self-sufficient, financially independent adult by the age of 18. In order to ensure that the newly independent youth of Heartland have all they will need to make a successful transition, the agency will seek to provide them with some initial basic need items that will assist them with the expense of their first home. With one less financial worry, we hope to give these youth the opportunity to focus on their educational and career goals that will carry them through the next stage of their life as a productive, responsible adult. These items include furniture, kitchen utensils, dishes, pots and pans, linens, drapes, towels, and other basic home furnishings.
Hope Children’s Home
Hope Children’s Home, a faith-based home for abused, neglected, and abandoned children that provides a warm family-like atmosphere with house parents who provide the guidance and encouragement they need to become responsible, well-adjusted adults. Hope Children’s Home was awarded a $10,000 grant for the cost of new athletic uniforms and sporting equipment for the Hope children who participate in after-school sports activities. Participation in sports has been shown to increase a child’s academic performance and social skills while promoting self-worth, cooperation, and achievement. Funds will purchase home and away jerseys and shorts, practice shirts, basketball rims, backboard, and padding.
Joshua House
Joshua House is a therapeutic residential shelter that provides a safe, nurturing family-like home environment for children who have been victims of abuse, neglect, and abandonment. Joshua House received a $10,000 grant to fund after-school activities for foster children beyond what the Florida Child Welfare allows, offering the children activities that promote special interests, cultivation of skills and talents, extracurricular activities, and fun. These activities consist of day camps, swimming lessons, sport leagues, theme park trips, church group events, holiday and birthday parties, and arts and music projects. A broad range of structured activities will enhance the children’s quality of life by encouraging them to develop and nurture their skills and abilities.
Lighthouse Ministries
Lighthouse Ministries, a shelter for homeless and at-risk children and their families, was awarded a grant of $10,000 for recreational and educational equipment that facilitates the successful relational, physical, and cognitive development of disadvantaged children in Lighthouse’s Kidcare Center where children of homeless families can receive after-school care.
Metropolitan Ministries
Metropolitan Ministries provides shelter, education, and social services to homeless children and families in the Tampa Bay area with a commitment to breaking the cycle of poverty. The organization received a $10,000 grant to support the PromiseLand Program for pre-school age children that offers pre-school education with a high quality individualized program that provides an interactive learning environment with age appropriate activities that give children the best chance possible for their future academic success. PromiseLand teachers are responsible for planning, executing, monitoring, and documenting a developmentally enriching childhood program that offers these disadvantaged children a safe and nurturing environment conducive to exploration, self-discovery, and independence. Funding was used to purchase equipment such as educational media package, multicultural music CD library, stackable cots, Pretend & Play Kitchen set, Toddler Transition Table, Toddler sand and water station, Magnetic Color Maze, Toddler Alphabet set, and more.
MOSI-Museum of Science and Industry
Through a $10,000 grant, MOSI continued their scholarship fund for their summer science camp for those children who would otherwise not be able to participate due to financial circumstances. The program allowed 40 Hillsborough County students from low-income families, grades kindergarten through 8th, to receive full scholarships to attend a weeklong, full day science camp experience. MOSI science camps promote learning through fun, creative discovery, invention, and minds-on interactive activities. Camp programming and activities are designed to make science a real life adventure for young people. Certified teachers and experienced science and technology educators guided students through unique science experiences with a goal of enriching their love of exploration and improving their critical thinking and problem solving skills.
Neat Stuff
Neat Stuff, an organization that provides new clothing, shoes, backpacks, and other personal items to underserved children in the Miami-Dade area, was awarded a grant of $10,000 to supply one-week’s worth of school uniforms to 200+ at-risk children living in poverty or in the foster care system. For already challenged children, the emotional expense of being “different” takes a high toll. Many children entering foster care have nothing more than the clothes on their backs. Neat Stuff aims to give disadvantaged children the opportunity to wear new school uniforms, reducing negative factors such as bullying, teasing, and low self-esteem that hinder them from learning and prepare them for success.
OASIS Network of New Tampa
OASIS Network is an organization that collects and distributes donated clothing and personal items to underserved children in the Hillsborough County School District. In addition to their selection of donated clothing, with a $10,000 grant, OASIS Network will purchase new shoes, socks, and underwear for students of low-income families. With the help of OASIS, these students are better prepared to participate successfully in their education.
Place of Hope
Place of Hope serves as a faith-based child welfare organization providing family-style foster care, both emergency and long-term care, family outreach and intervention, and foster care recruitment and support, giving opportunities for abused and neglected children to grow and thrive. The organization is dedicated to providing a stable, loving, and nurturing environment and support for their children and guide them toward healthy, productive lives, free of fear, endangerment, and abuse. With a $10,000 grant, Place of Hope will offer their foster care youth the opportunity to participate in after-school sports, music lessons, and other activities that will be a source of healing, healthy development, and self-confidence. The children of Place of Hope will have the chance to channel their energies into a positive outlet that allows them to express themselves creatively and constructively promoting dignity and achievement. These opportunities give foster care children a means to overcome their emotional struggles and self-doubt and achieve stability and self-reliance.
Real Life Children’s Ranch
Real Life Children’s Ranch offers abused, neglected, and abandoned children a loving, family-style home environment building Christian values, character, and stability with the guidance and motivation they need to reach for a brighter future. Real Life Children’s Ranch hopes to provide these children with the opportunity to learn the richness of a well-rounded life and achieve purpose and fulfillment as they grow into caring, responsible young adults. The ranch is the recipient of a $10,000 grant that will fund the cost of equipment to create a dance and drama club. In the dance and drama club, foster care children can participate in a productive, mentally stimulating activities that promote self-image and confidence. Exposure to arts education heightens a child’s cognitive thinking abilities, creativity, and communication skills that lead to increased academic performance in areas such as language arts and literacy, reading comprehension, problem-solving and reasoning.
Ronald McDonald House Charities of Tampa Bay
Ronald McDonald House Charities received a $10,000 grant that is used to expand operations for the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile, a mobile health care program that provides access to quality health care for underserved children in the Tampa Bay community. The care mobile program includes free medical and dental screening. Additionally, the program strives to identify, treat, and refer children with chronic or untreated health conditions, improve health outcomes, provide continuity of care, educate children and families about maintaining a healthy lifestyle, as well as screening and enrolling families in eligible insurance programs. The Ronald McDonald Care Mobile, in conjunction with the University Of South Florida Department of Pediatrics, continues to effectively serve the medical care needs of economically disadvantaged students across the Tampa Bay.
The Children’s Home
The Children’s Home serves as a stable residential treatment home to abused, abandoned, and neglected children that offers them a safe place to live, intensive counseling, healthcare, educational support, and therapeutic enrichment activities in a positive and structured environment that strengthens their children’s physical and emotional wellbeing. The Children’s Home was the recipient of a $10,000 grant that funded their holiday camp program for the boys and girls, ages 5-18, living at their home. The holiday camp program, an integral part of the residential treatment at the Children’s Home, is a three-day camp experience held at Camp Good Counsel in Citrus County. The camp activities were created to build self-esteem and confidence that will ultimately support healthy growth and development. The camping experience gives the children at the Children’s Home the opportunity to participate in active learning and character-building activities in a fun, informal setting. Programming combines fishing, water skiing, canoeing, kayaking, baseball, archery, hiking, jewelry making, scrapbooks, painting, campfires, songs and skits, team building activities, and expressive art classes. The holiday camp program develops interest in learning and creativity, promotes motivation and dignity, encourages positive self-expression, and provides the opportunity to form positive, meaningful relationships among peers.
The Haven
The Haven, an alternative residential home for boys is dedicated to providing a safe, loving, and stable environment and therapeutic care that fosters the development of self-esteem and independence and empowerment of each young man to reach his full potential. The Haven received a $10,000 grant for student stipends in their Work Readiness program that educates teens about job skills, financial literacy, and the value of hard work to assure workforce preparedness. The curriculum incorporates role-playing and a framework to discuss workplace expectations. Each participant sets his own goals and holds himself accountable for achieving them. The course covers topics such as career exploration, strategic planning, money management, communication skills, work ethic, time management, problem-solving, interviewing, appearance, and self-confidence. The boys have the opportunity to identify their strengths, eliminate attitude and behavior barriers, evaluate career options, and prioritize steps to move toward employment and independence.
The Heart Gallery, Tampa Bay
The Heart Gallery serves as a collaborative effort of the Children’s Board of Hillsborough County and Hillsborough’s Kids, Inc that is dedicated to increasing the number of foster and adoptive families and heightening awareness for the hundreds of children needing homes in the Tampa Bay community. The Heart Gallery offers photos, audio messages, and biographies of each of the children that may expose them to families considering adoption. The organization received a $10,000 grant to support the costs of creating The Birthday Buddy Program, an online service that highlights the birthday of each featured child, under their individual profile, with a link to that child’s birthday wish list. Prospective parents and other sponsors would then have the opportunity to donate a gift to the child. Because too many foster children’s birthdays go unnoticed, The Birthday Buddy Program will serve as a source of happy memories for each child where they can experience the individual recognition and encouragement that every child deserves. The child will forge a unique connection with their sponsor and give prospective parents the chance to become more engaged, learning more about their child, his interests, hobbies, and the qualities that make him special.
The Salvation Army
A grant of $10,000 was awarded to the Salvation Army for educational travel and activities for the children residing with them. Travel is a valuable learning experience that most foster care children will never have. The staff at Salvation Army believes that travel expands a child’s horizons and wanted to give the children in their care the opportunity to realize that there is a whole world for them to discover, explore, and experience if they have the strength and determination to become successful, self-sufficient young adults.
[ BACK TO TOP ] |
Alpha House of Tampa
ASAP Homeless Services
Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Tampa Bay
Blooming Place for Kids
Boys and Girls Clubs of Tampa Bay
Brookwood Florida
Caring Children Clothing Children
Central Florida Children’s Home
Charity Navigator
Computer Mentors Group
Covenant House Florida
Florida Baptist Children’s Home
Florida United Methodist Children’s Home
God’s Pedal Power Ministry
Grace Place for Children and Families
Heartland for Children
Hope Children’s Home
Joshua House
Lighthouse Ministries
Metropolitan Ministries
MOSI-Museum of Science and Industry
Neat Stuff
OASIS Network of New Tampa
Place of Hope
Real Life Children’s Ranch
Ronald McDonald House Charities of Tampa Bay
The Children’s Home
The Haven
The Heart Gallery, Tampa Bay
The Salvation Army
|
