HomeMy WebLinkAbout08-00057 01-28-2008 2007 Annual ReportLeading the Way for Our Children's Future.
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The Children`sTrust
2 0 0 7 Annual Report
Message From the CEO
Lreading the way for all our children's
future is how we define our role at The
Children's Trust To lead means "to guide in
direction, course, action or opinion; to
show the way; to go first.' Created by the
voters in 2002. The Children's Trust has
transformed the way services are
delivered to children and families in
ANVIiami-Dade County, improving the lives of
hundreds of thousands and strengthening
our community's commitment to children.
The Children's Trust has laid a
foundation for several signature program
areas, one of them being a multi -faceted
health initiative we call HealthConnect.
This year we launched HealthConnect
InThe Early Years, so all women giving
birth for the first time, as well as all
expectant teens, can access the resources,
support and information to give their new
families the best possible start. This is
being accomplished through voluntary,
ree home visits by trained family coaches
As they grow, children in public schools
benefit from HealthConnect In Our
Schools, where health teams of nurses,
social workers and health aides are on
hand to address students' daily health
needs and ensure access to a pediatrician
or family doctor This year we added 70
more schools and will have another 50 on
line by next August, reaching more than
half the student body in this country's
fourth largest school
district. This unique model
of health delivery in our
schools is already being
recognized nationally
We are reaching
upwards of 45,000 children
In our after -school
programs and summer camps and are
especially proud that we have helped to
remove barriers for children with
disabilities. These programs, invaluable to
working parents, offer children academic
support plus sports, art, music, theater,
technology, ecology and other
opportunities to enrich lives and expand
horizons.
Higher -quality child care is on its way.
With the design completion of our Quality
Counts initiative. we have begun with
numerous partners to Implement a rating
and improvement system that will review
early learning programs according to
high -quality standards, using a five-star
rating method to assure those standards
and offering incentives for providers to
reach new goals. This transformative
system will help parents make informed
choices about the best early care and
education for their children. This is critical
because early quality care feeds a love for
learning that sets the stage for a child's
lifetime of success.
The Children's Trust 211
Helpline connected more
than 35,000 parents,
caregivers and teens to
programs and services in
2007. The Helpline also
links providers,
psychologists and school
administrators to other professionals.
We are inspiring our partners to
embrace higher standards by requiring
that they demonstrate the impact they are
having on children and families. This
means greater accountability and
organizational capacity
As we enter our fourth full year of
grant -making and program monitoring,
we continue to find ways to become even
more strategic and effective The Children's
Trust is a dedicated source of funding, and
our revenues are generated through
taxpayer contributions A homeowner
whose residence is assessed at the
median taxable value, minus homestead
exemption, pays S61 a year toward The
Children's Trust - or just over a dollar a
week.
We cannot be all things to all people,
but we pledge to continue to be bold in
our vision and not veer from our
commitment to our signature programs
that support children with special needs
as well as parents and young mothers,
bring health care to public schools;
increase the quality of child care and early
education; provide enriching after -school
experiences, and connect families to
programs through our 211 Helpline.
We will continue to lead the way for the
future of all our children, but need the
public's support to guarantee it. We are
eager for the day when in Miami -Dade all
young mothers have access to the support
and services they need; when all children
have access to health care services; when
all children can be assured a high -quality
early care, and education experience and
the day when there are no more waiting
lists for after -school programs or summer
camps. We have made significant
progress on all these counts.
This August 26, The Children's Trust will
be on the ballot, asking voters to
reauthorize our continued existence, this
time in perpetuity. The Children's Trust can
be a permanent beacon of light toward a
brighter future for children and families In
Miami -Dade County.
Thank you for your support. Thank you
for coring
Modesto E. Abety
President and CEO
Photography by J
99% of parents whose
child attended a
Children's Trust summer
camp said their child was
safe there
99% of parents whose
child attended a
Children's Trust summer
camp said they would
recommend the program
to other parents
99% of parents with
children in a Children's
Trust -funded after -school
program said their child
liked the program
Sandi Sellers with her grandchildren
Peace of Mind for Working Parents While Helping
Children Reach Their Maximum Potential
Serving 45,000 children in
summer and after -school
programs
Summer and after -school programs
are a priority of The Children's Trust.
During the time of day when children
are most prone to juvenile crime and
experimentation with drugs, alcohol and
sex, these programs safeguard children
and youth, challenge them academically,
and keep them physically active and
culturally enriched. For working parents
and caregivers, nothing is more important
when 3 p.m. rolls around, or summer
arrives, than knowing their child is safe,
engaged and not wandering the streets or
home alone.
No one can better attest to that then
Sandi Sellers, who suddenly became
responsible for five grandchildren after her
son and his fiancee were called to active
duty in Iraq at the same time. With a full
time job of her own and a grown daughter
with three children already living with
her, the additional five children led her to
seek immediate help. She found it at the
Dave and Mary Alper Jewish Community
Center, which found placement for all eight
children this summer with funding from
The Children's Trust.
In 2008, The Children's Trust will
dedicate an additional $13 million to
summer and after -school programs, for
a maximum investment of $48.7 million,
inclusive of children with disabilities.
Nearly 45,000 children benefitted in every
corner of Miami -Dade County.
Our high -quality programs increase
academic achievement by emphasizing
parental involvement and literacy as
well as physical fitness and social skills.
They also increase exposure to the arts,
sciences, technology and math and make
a special effort to have children with
disabilities included alongside typically
developing children.
104,000 health services
were provided to students
in our HealthConnect
school health suites
Helped 1,700 children or
their family members
successfully qualify for
affordable medical plans
Promoting the Health and Safety of All Children
Without good health, children can't
do their best in school or become
contributing members of society. This
is why The Children's Trust has made
health and safety a growing focus of its
investment strategy.
Beginning with our HealthConnect
initiative, The Children's Trust is increasing
access to health services for children
and families through their communities,
public schools and homes. This three -
tiered approach provides broad health
access for all children, prenatal through
adolescence. Less than two years old, yet
already recognized as a national model,
HealthConnect is altering the landscape of
preventive health care delivery in Miami -
Dade County.
The most recent tier, implemented in
2007, is HealthConnect InThe Early Years.
In partnership with the Healthy Start
Coalition of Miami -Dade, family coaches
are now making free, voluntary home
visits to teen and first-time mothers to
help new families make the best possible
start. These family coaches educate
new parents about breastfeeding and
parenting skills as well as infant behavior,
development, nutrition and injury
prevention.
Now in its second year of operation,
HealthConnect In Our Schools is placing
nurses or nurse practitioners, social
workers and health aides in Miami -
Dade public schools. The results are
impressive. School administrators say they
are calling 911 far less often for student
health emergencies; students with minor
ailments are able to be treated and
returned to class, and sick students are
quickly and appropriately evaluated, then
sent home with follow-up instructions.
Parents generally are more responsive
to calls from trained nurses and social
workers than to clerical staff who handled
these duties before health teams joined
the schools.
Also in its second year, HealthConnect
In Our Community guided more than
40,000 residents to critical health care
coverage and services. Neighborhood
by neighborhood, community outreach
specialists are helping connect children
and families to primary care physicians,
medical insurance and other health
services.
In 2008, The Children's Trust will
commit an additional $14.8 million to the
HealthConnect initiative. This 55 percent
increase will bring our total investment in
health to $26.9 million. It is administered
in collaboration with Miami -Dade County
Public Schools, Miami -Dade Department
of Health and approximately 16
community health providers.
In addition to HealthConnect, The
Children's Trust invests in programs that
protect and promote the well-being
of children and their families. Those
programs provide oral health and dental
services; heighten awareness about
vehicle and water safety; replicate the
national Healthy Steps program that
supports close relationships between
pediatric health professionals and
parents; and provide infant development
and mental health education in child care
settings. Other Children's Trust -funded
programs address nutrition, obesity
prevention, community gardening and
healthy cooking skills, asthma screening
and management, and family supports
after a premature birth and neonatal unit
hospitalization.
92% of parents and
caregivers improved
parenting skills by
participating in a
Children's Trust -supported
program
More than 1,000 infants
and young children
screened in Children's
Trust -funded early
childhood programs
showed on -target overall
developmental skills
Fostering Early Learning and Positive Parenting: 9
Windows of Opportunity
The first five years of a child's life
are the windows of opportunity for
learning. Recognizing how critical it is to
take full advantage of these early years,
The Children's Trust strives to improve the
quality of child care, promote early literacy
and strengthen families through parent
support and skill -building. In 2007, more
than 2,500 children birth to age 5 received
services through Children's Trust -funded
programs.
Improving child care
Nearly three of every four young children
in Miami -Dade County are cared for by
someone other than a parent during the
day. As a result, it's crucial that early care
and education settings are the best they
can be. After two years of community
planning, The Children's Trust launched
Quality Counts in 2007, a voluntary rating
and improvement system that reviews
early learning programs according to
clearly defined, high -quality standards
and offers supports and incentives to
help providers reach goals. Scholarships
encourage child care workers and
educators to improve care -giving skills
through vocational schools or college
courses.
Via its five-star method of evaluation,
Quality Counts will become a user-friendly
and valuable tool for thousands of parents
in Miami -Dade who struggle to make
informed child care choices for their
children.
The Children's Trust is dedicating $7
million to fully execute the Quality Counts
initiative in 2008. Other funding partners
include the Early Learning Coalition of
Miami-Dade/Monroe and The Early
Childhood Initiative Foundation/Ready
Schools Miami. A •
Parents are a child's first
and best teacher
A number of programs funded by The
Children's Trust stress the importance
of early bonding, positive parenting
and literacy. More than 4,300 parents
benefited from these programs in 2007.
One of them, honored for excellence
by The Children's Trust, promotes early
literacy at pediatricians' offices and clinics.
The Family Learning Partnership's "Reach
Out and Read Miami" program funds the
ability of doctors to give away free books
and offer parents a "prescription to read"
to their child every day.
Florida International University's
Parents as Teachers for You (PAT) is a
home visitation program that combines
the nationally recognized "Born to Learn"
curriculum with Dr. T. Berry Brazelton's now
famous Touchpoints approach to early
childhood development.
Yadira Veres' experience with PAT is
a dear example of how this Children's
Trust -funded program is making a positive
impact. "I just didn't realize how much
time, attention and care a child needs," IMP
she said, and asked for help. A specialist
visited Yadira at home, sometimes
spending several hours to demonstrate
exercises, address concerns and
share information. "I appreciated every
second and tried to absorb every bit of
information," Yadira said afterwards.
Through PAT, as well as the University
of Miami's "Families First" and other
programs, parents are taught how to
nurture and raise their infants and young
children with confidence; how to disciplinEj
them appropriately at different stages of
development, and how to manage the
stress of balancing work and family.
I
Helping Children with Disabilities
Reach New Heights
One in every five children in Miami-
Dade County is considered to have
a special need, and there is no greater
demonstration of The Children's Trust's
commitment to improve the lives of all
children and families in Miami -Dade
County than its efforts on behalf of these
children. Although some of our programs
in this area focus exclusively on disabled
children, the majority stress inclusion and
integration with children in the general
population. They range from programs
that help the severely physically disabled
or visually impaired to those with such
developmental conditions as autism and
ADHD.
Funded by The Children's Trust, The All
Children Together (ACT) Resource Network
is a comprehensive county -wide resource
for training, capacity building, advocacy,
and promoting best practices for children
410111;1110Pr
Pitt.*°
with disabilities and their families. Parent
to Parent of Miami is another organization
we invest in that serves as a powerful
support network for parents or caregivers
raising children with disabilities.
These programs demand much
smaller teacher/child ratios and, in some
cases, the attention required may even
be one-on-one. This year's $11.3 million
commitment in this area will be increased
by 29 percent in 2008 for a total of $16.1
million.
Three -year -old Alina has been blind
since birth. Her father, Tedi Draghici, a
university math professor, expressed his
appreciation to The Children's Trust for our
support of the Miami Lighthouse's
"Blind Babies" program
where he attended weekly
consultations over the past
year with a specialist.
Alina and Tedi Draghici
"We've learned so many things that
we wouldn't even have thought about
regarding children with visual problems,"
Draghici said. The funds you are providing
to them is money excellently spent."
The Children's Trust envisions the
acceptance of children with disabilities in
all aspects of life and a community where
all children have equal access to supports
and services. Our funding helps foster a
life-long quality of life and independence
for children with disabilities and their
families. Typically developing children who
assist, nurture and befriend children with
disabilities benefit enormously from their
interaction.
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94% of youth attending
employment skills
programs became more
prepared to enter the
workforce
869 youth who attended
a Children's Trust -funded
program participated in
civic activities or volunteer
community projects
Inspiring Our Youth on a Pathway to Success
Positive youth development
If we truly want our children to become
responsible decision -makers, contribute
to their communities and enjoy a positive
future, then we must provide guidance
and encouragement. The Children's
Trust supports life skills training that
focuses on helping adolescents make
the right choices; cope with anger and
anxiety; understand boundaries; develop
communication skills with parents and
peers; resist drugs and other substances;
create non-violent relationships; build self-
confidence; resolve conflicts, and prevent
unwanted pregnancy, HIV and other
sexually transmitted diseases. In 2007,
14,250 youths ages 6-18 received services
through our programs.
r
Some programs focus on preparing
kids for the challenging transition to
middle school, while others emphasize
volunteering to encourage community
awareness, social responsibility and civic
engagement. Other life -skills programs
highlight the teaching of work ethics and
impart employment skills, bridging the
gap between academics and real -world
experience or even showing kids how to
become successful entrepreneurs.
Breakthrough Miami uses a rigorous
studies program to prepare students for
college.
Josiane Apollon has three children,
all of whom attended the program. Her
17-year-old will be attending a top college
next year and her middle son, Dominique,
is attending Breakthough's after -school
program.
Josiane Apollon with sons
Adrien and Dominique
"Breakthrough incorporates education
with fun and it teaches students to love
school and to love doing your homework
and schoolwork," Dominique told The
Children's Trust board. "It has not only
made me a better student, it's made me a
better person."
Ms. Apollon's youngest son, Adrien,
attended the Breakthrough summer camp.
"Breakthrough really helped me a lot
with middle school," he said. "I really liked
two of my classes — biology and global
war. I never knew I could learn so much
about World War II and brains and things"
Other programs, like one offered
by Kristi House, teach kids to protect
themselves from falling victim to sexual
abuse and date rape. Such programs
communicate positive messages through()
leadership clubs, counseling, tutoring,
workshops, role playing and even
improvisational theater.
Peer -to -peer or adult mentoring is an
important component of our programs
that foster youth development. Many
of them, such as Big Brothers and Big
Sisters, have been very successful in
providing family support and increasing
high school graduation rates. Take Stock
in Children provides incentives, such as
college scholarships, to young people wht)
complete their program successfully.
95% of children/youth
participating in art -
related programs
increased their
knowledge and improved
artistic skills in targeted
areas
Inspiration Through the Arts
The visual arts, orchestras, choirs, dance,
drama, film - all this and more - represent
the varied opportunities that children are
exposed to through programs funded
by The Children's Trust. These programs
are culturally enriching, stimulate artistic
expression, and build self-esteem and
improve academic achievement.
In addition to the more than $1 million
in arts programs directly funded by The
Children's Trust, a $1 million Trust grant to
the Miami -Dade County Department of
Cultural Affairs funded 68 community arts
programs in 2007, involving more than
142,000 children. A $500,000 increase
was awarded for 2008. Many of this
year's grants went to not -for -profit arts
organizations that brought their unique
programs to public schools for the first
time. Others operate in neighborhood
centers, municipal buildings, parks and
other locations.
Zemia Edmondson attended the Miami
Children's Theater summer program
this year. Each day she proudly showed
her family the newest magic trick she'd
A
learned. Her mother Ashley Kehoe was
very impressed with the program and
observed how her daughter's self-esteem
increased as she learned'•skills and made
new friends.
"I was just overwhelmed with the
quality of care Zemia was getting,"
her mother said, adding, "The theater
program really enables children to be
themselves and helped us feel more part
of a community after relocating from
Washington D.C."
Other established programs that have
expanded -thanks to The Children's Trust
- boast more long-term, proven results.
Ninety-five percent of students from the
Thomas Armour Youth Ballet who audition
at the New World School of the Arts
are admitted, and 100 percent of
students who stay with
the program either
enter a university
dance program
or go on to dance
professionally.
Ashley Kehoe with Soleil and Zemia
Preventing Violence
and Saving Lives
Although programs designed to prevent
youth violence have always been at the
core of our youth development focus, The
Children's Trust began placing special
emphasis on reducing gun violence last
year after a succession of young people
died in gun -related murders in Miami -
Dade County.
Guided by national models and tailored
to the specifics of our community, our
Youth Violence Prevention initiative seeks
to address the high rates of child neglect
and abuse, delinquency, truancy, poor
school achievement, low employment and
extreme poverty that can contribute to
violence.
In 2007, contracts were
initiated with six lead
agencies in Miami -Dade
neighborhoods with
the highest youth homicide rates. With just
several months of operation last year, we
were already exceeding the number of
youths expected to be served. In 2008, The
Children's Trust full expenditure of funding)
of approximately $3.5 million annually will
heighten the impact.
This initiative's six lead agencies
are partnering with an average of 15
agencies each, sharing resources to build
the strongest coalition possible against
youth violence. In all, the Youth Violence
Prevention initiative pools the resources
of more than 90 independent partners,
including grassroots organizations,
law enforcement and faith -based
organizations - all delivering services ,.{
and working collaboratively to uproot the
violence plaguing many communities in
Miami -Dade County.
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16 35,000 Callers Get Help by Dialing 211
211 The Children's Trust Helpline
connects parents, caregivers and
youth to programs and services in Miami -
Dade County. Operated by Switchboard of
Miami, the trilingual, 24-hour helpline is
a single point of entry for families in crisis
or those who are just in need of simple
information or referrals. For example,
call volume in May exploded when The
Children's Trust encouraged parents to
register their children for summer camp
by calling 211. Our extensive multi -media
advertising campaign designed to connect
families to services resulted in 35,000
callers getting the help they needed.
Trained telephone counselors use an
online searchable database of more than
3,600 available social service programs
when helping callers with their most
pressing issues. The Helpline also is a
valuable resource and referral tool for
professionals and social service agencies
coordinating services for families.
ili
The Children's Trust
DIAL 211 HELPLINE
Providing Seed Money to Small Agencies Serving Children and
Families in the Community
Responding to the concerns of the
community, The Children's Trust
offered one-time starter grants to small
neighborhood -based organizations
with the potential to grow and establish
themselves among Miami-Dade's service
community.
The response to this funding
opportunity was overwhelming. More
than 200 agencies submitted proposals.
Ninety-one agencies were selected to
receive the maximum $50,000 starter
grant awards.
In 2007, nearly $4.3 million was funded
in total to these agencies, small in size
and budget, but rich in spirit, commitment
and innovation. Many of these programs
turned out to be especially worthy
investments.
These dynamic programs span a
range of service approaches that include
the Karen Peterson & Dancers, which
explores movement and music
with disabled children;
Experience Aviation,
where pilot Barrington
Irving's after -school and summer program
tutors in math, science and technology,
while encouraging children to pursue
careers in aviation; and First Autism
Consulting and Training, which makes
home visits to counsel and train on autism
spectrum disorders.
Funding for another program, The
Shimmy Club, offers an especially inspiring
example of the potential for these grants.
The Shimmy Club teaches tango dancing
to visually impaired students to boost their
self-esteem, body awareness and social
MINA
skills. At a critical moment, the relatively
small amount of funding allowed two
women with an exciting idea to birth a
program that has now received national
media attention and exploded in audienc
and growth potential.
17
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Coordinating Service Delivery for the Most Vulnerable
Service Partnerships provide direct,
comprehensive, wrap -around services
to children, youth and their families.
These partnerships either target specific
at -risk populations or address the needs
of specific communities in the county.
The goal of service partnerships is to
generate a comprehensive "system of
care" to plug the gaps in a fragmented
system and coordinate the resources
already at work in our community. Of
the 18 service partnerships approved for
initial planning in 2006, 10 have matured
into full implementation. Of these 10, six
had pilot service activities that combine
planning with the delivery of complex,
multi -layered care. During this pilot period,
2,183 children and youths from birth to age
18 and their families were served through
this integrated model.
Designated lead agencies bear
primary responsibility to The Children's
Trust and for stewardship of the funds.
The University of Miami Mailman
Center for Child Development's Young
Children with Special Needs and
Disabilities Council coordinated service
delivery for 250 special needs children,
while the Honda Immigrant Advocacy
Center's Immigrant Children's Legal
Service Partnership coordinates services
for 400 children whose parents lack legal
status. At the same time, it is helping to
shift public policy by calling attention to
the plight of these children. The Alliance
for Gay Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender
and Questioning Youths met all service
outcomes for 335 youths, helping them
transition to independent living, enhancing
self-esteem and teaching coping skills.
Service partnerships operate in
14 communities around the county,
while five partnerships target specific
at -risk populations countywide. These
partnerships target four broad focus
areas: maternal, infant and child health
needs; safety, injury, and trauma
prevention; risky behaviors among youth,
and the special needs of children with
disabilities and their families.
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Promoting Laws and Policies
to Change Children's Lives
Laws and policies to improve the lives
of children and families are greatly
needed in our state, and in 2007 The
Children's Trust, as part of the Florida
Children's Services Council, energized
its presence at the State Capitol, both
advocating for children's issues and
sensitizing legislators to the needs and
benefits of a society that safeguards and
nurtures its children.
Despite the tougher than usual
economic time, The Children's Trust,
working with other child advocates
around Florida, managed a number of
important accomplishments. A governor's
Children and Youth Cabinet was created
and will begin to fill a much -overdue
void for a mechanism to coordinate the
many agencies that provide services for
children in the state. Two members of
The Children's Trust board - Dr. Judith
Schaechter and David Lawrence, Jr. -
were appointed to this important body.
For Florida's universal voluntary
prekindergarten programs, advocacy
efforts earned a small increase of $51 per
student. Our resolve was also important
in helping KidCare turn the corner in
enrollment. In recent years
this critical children's
health insurance
program had dropped
children from its rolls
due to excessive
restrictions, resulting
in the Toss of millions
of dollars in
potential
federal
funds. In
2007, Florida
Healthy Kids once again added children,
thanks to an increase of $18 million -
which will generate $54.6 million in federal
match dollars. The governor's leadership
on outreach made this possible, aided
by the efforts of CFO Alex Sink's ad hoc
KidCare "Simplification Commiffee," on
which The Children's Trust policy director
served.
We also helped secure
a number of additional
improvements to the
independent living
program, which assists
foster care kids in their
transition to adulthood.
Our efforts furthered the,'
(
creation of a "Blueprint
Commission" charged
with guiding reform
of Florida's juvenile
justice system.
Spreading the Word About Our Programs and Initiatives
Communication helps connect families
to programs and services they need
most. Outreach efforts, public awareness
campaigns, printed materials, media,
community events and other resources
help us reach and inform families. In
addition to the increased call volume at
211 The Children's Trust Helpline, research
in 2007 told us that more than half of the
population in Miami -Dade County now
knows about The Children's Trust and our
good work.
Community outreach
Besides television and radio, grassroots
community outreach is at the heart of
our efforts. Our own community outreach
coordinators, outside support staff, street
teams and our own board members, act
as an army of goodwill ambassadors
about everything The Children's Trust
has to offer. By distributing thousands of
printed resource materials at community
events, fairs, malls and places of worship,
more and more families learned how to
access the variety of services we support
that can make a difference in their lives.
Promoting adoption
In addition to promoting programs funded
by The Children's Trust, we continued our
partnership with Our Kids of Miami -Dade/
Monroe and WPLG Local 10 to promote the
adoption of foster children. In 2008, we will
embark on an ambitious project to create
a museum -quality, traveling photo exhibit
of children in foster care who are looking
for permanent and loving parents to call
their own.
Increasing pre-k
registration
This year we partnered with the Early
Learning Coalition of Miami-Dade/Monroe
to produce a public awareness campaign
that significantly boosted registration of
Miami -Dade 4 year olds in the state's
voluntary prekindergarten program.
The biggest weekend
resource fair in Miami -Dade
For the first time ever, we brought all
our funded providers under one roof to
showcase our services to the community.
The Children's Trust Family Expo attracted
an estimated 35,000 people for a non-
stop, two-day extravaganza that exposed
families to funded programs and initiatives
while having a great time!
Honoring those Om
inspire us
Now a hallmark community event, our
Champions for Children awards ceremony
honored the people and agencies that
serve as role models because of their
extraordinary dedication to children and
families. This year's honorees included:
Alonzo and Tracy Mourning, Sister Marie
Carol Hurley, Florida Sen. Nan Rich, Arlene
Bouza-Jou of the Miami -Dade County Park
and Recreation Department, Loretta Duva'-,/
Miami -Dade Family Learning Partnership,
Teen Up -Ward Bound and the University of
Miami Debbie Institute.
L to R: Calvin Russell, Jannie Russell, Arlene
Bouza-Jou, Dr. Lee Sanders, Lisa Blair, Modesto
E. Abety, Tracy Wilson Mourning, David Lawrence
Jr., Senator Nan H. Rich, Mary Lane, Loretta Duvall
and Dwight Lauderdale
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Being all about accountability and results
4110ft
True leadership requires a commitment
to accountability and showing
measured results. In every facet of
our operation, The Children's Trust
emphasizes accountability. We are
rigorous in documenting the impact
of our investments to ensure funded
programs are making a difference in the
lives of children and families. In turn, we
strive to increase the ability of providers
to measure and demonstrate program
effectiveness and outcomes.
Programs are individually evaluated
on -site to make sure they are fiscally
responsible, as well as to measure
participant outcomes, and identify areas
where they may improve.
Research that guides us
The Children's Trust gathers data and
conducts research to inform the public
and policymakers about the needs of
children in Miami -Dade. This year, our
Research and Evaluation Department
began two significant research projects
that will be released in 2008. The first
is a comprehensive survey of parents
throughout Miami -Dade County. This study
provides data on child health and well-
being, and permits analysis by geographic
area, age range and race/ethnicity.
Additionally, we are producing a
visually engaging report highlighting
indicators of child well-being in the
areas of health, safety, school readiness,
education and youth development.
The report is information -rich and
reveals trends over time. It also makes
comparisons within Miami -Dade County
communities, as well as across Florida
and the nation. Both of these projects
identify specific unmet needs for services
in our primary impact areas.
Comprehensive and accurate statistical
data help the community understand The
Children's Trust's progress toward fulfilling
its mission and help our community make
informed and data -driven investments in
child and family services.
Training and capacity
building
Helping service providers meet
requirements for accountability and best
practices requires extensive support.
The Children's Trust provides trainings
on a variety of programmatic, fiscal
and administrative topics in addition to
hosting regular provider meetings, open
houses, conferences, workshops and
other forums. For example, our signature
After -School Solutions and Survive the
Summer conferences attract hundreds of
participants.
In 2007, we facilitated 77 training
sessions, covering 46 training topics for
over 2,200 participants.
This year The Children's Trust was a
driving force in developing the Miami -
Dade Community Training Collaborative,
designed to bring together major training
facilitators in Miami -Dade to reduce
duplicated training efforts and provide a
central clearinghouse for activities related
to training and professional development.
25
26 Prpgrams and Agencies Funded by The Children's Trust in 2007
Abriendo Puertas
Abundant Living Citi Church
Academy for Kids
Actors Playhouse
frican Caribbean
Adult Mankind
Advocate Program
All Florida Youth Orchestra
Alliance for Musical Arts
America Scores Miami
American Children's Orchestras for Peace
Amigos for Kids
Angels Reach Development Enrichment
Center
Arts Ballet Theater of Florida
Arts for Learning
Ars Flores Symphony Orchestra
ArtSpring
spira of Florida
Association for Retarded Citizens
Autism Consulting & Training
Ayuda
Belafonte Tacolcy Center
Beta Tau Zeta ROYAL Association,
Bethel Family Enrichment Center
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Miami
Boys & Girls Clubs of Miami
Brownsville Community Development Corp.
CACEC
Carrfour Supportive Housing
Catholic Charities - South Dade Child Care
CCDH
Center for Emerging Art
Center for Family and Child.Enrichment
Center for the Advancement of Jewish
Education
Centro Mater Childcare Services
Children's Forum
Children's Home Society
Citizens for a Better South Florida
Citrus Health Network
City of Hialeah Out -of -School Program
City of Miami Beach Out -of School Program
City of Miami Gardens -
Youth Crime Prevention
City of Miami Parks and Recreation
City of Miami - Office of the Mayor
Youth Program
City Theater
CMB Visions Unlimited
Communities in Schools
Community Concert Assoc.
Community Health of South Dade
Community Outreach MinistriesrEnterprises
Community Partnership for Homestead
Concerned African Women
Cool Kids Learn
Creative Children's Therapy
Cuban American National Council
Dade Community Foundation
Daily Bread Food Bank
Dance Now! Ensemble
Dave and Mary Alper JCC
Directors United for Quality
Discovery Me Preschool
Diva Arts
Diving First Kung Fu
Divine Sports
Dominican -American National Foundation
Drug Free Youth in Town
Early Childhood Quality Consultants
Early Learning Coalition of
Miami-Dade/Monroe
Easter Seals South Florida
Economic Opportunity Family Health Center
Edinfo Access
Educate Tomorrow
Ekklesia
Elijah Network
Empowerment Christian Community
Corporation
enFamilia
Everybody Wins! South Florida
Excel Tutoring Services
Experience Aviation
Family & Children Faith Coalition
Family Central
Family Counseling Services of Greater Miami
Family Life Center
Fanm Alysyen Nan Miyami
Fantasy Theater Factory
Fellowship of Christian Athletes
Florida Film Institute
Florida Grand Opera
First Impression Lotus Society
Florida Immigrant Advocacy Center
Florida International University
Florida Introduces Physical Activity and
Nutrition to Youth
Florida Memorial University
Florida State University
Foster Care Review
Foundation of Community Assistant and
Leadership
Fredick Brachter & Company
Gables Stage
Girl Scout Council of Tropical Florida
Greater Miami Youth Symphony
Haitain Organization of Women
Hands in Action - Manos en Accion
Hands on Miami
Happy Children of Overtown
Harambee
Have a Ball
Health Choice Network
Healthy Start Coalition of Miami -Dade
Education and Outreach
Helping Hands Youth Center
Heroes Unite
Historical Association of Southern Florida
Homestead Christian
Hope Community Development Corp.
Homestead Police Department -
Youth Crime Prevention
Hosanna Community Foundation
Human Services Coalition of Dade County
I Have a Dream-Overtown
Informed Families/The Florida Family
Partnership
Institute for Child and Family Health
Institute for Special Minds in a Learning
Environment
James E. Scott Community Assoc.
Jay's Learning Center I
Jean Piaget Academy
Jewish Community Center of South Florida
Jobs for Miami
Just Kids Centers
Justice & Securities Strategy
Karen Peterson & Dancers
Kayleens Learning Center
Keys to Communication
Kids Paradise Childcare & Learning Center
Kids Hope United
Kids Learning Center of South Dade
Kidworks, USA
Kidz XL
Kristi House
Kwon, Jae-Hwa Taekwon Do, Miami
La Salle Day Care Academy
Latinos United in Action Center
Lawyers for Children
Liberty City Optimist Club of Florida
Life and Learning Centers
Life Impact
Life Skills
Little Angels Academy
March of Dimes Foundation
Marjory Stoneman Douglas Biscayne Nature
Center
Martin Memorial Children Services
McDonalds Playworld
Miami All Stars
Miami Beach Community Health Center
Miami Bethany Community Services
Miami Children's Hospital
Miami Children's Museum
Miami Contemporary Dance Company
Miami -Dade County Office of the Child
Advocate
Miami -Dade Family Learning Partnership
Miami -Dade Police Athletic League (PAL)
Miami -Dade CAA Head Start
Miami -Dade Community Action Agency
Miami -Dade County Parks and
Recreation Department
Miami Dance Machine
Miami Ensemble
Miami Lighthouse for the Blind and
Visually Impaired
Miami Momentum Dance Company
Miami Stage Company
Miami Symphony Orchestra
Miami Overseas Chinese Association
Multi Ethnic Youth Group Association
Multi -Ethnic Youth Group Association
Murray Dranoff Foundation
Museum of Contemporary Art
Museum of Science
My Little World
Neat Stuff
New Horizons Community
Mental Health Center
New Jerusalem Community
Development Corp.
New World School of the Arts
Neytz haChochma
Non -Violence Project USA
North Beach Development Corp.
Nova Southeastern University
One Art
Our Kids of Miami Dade/Monroe
Overtown Youth Center
Parent to Parent of Miami
Peace Be Still Youth Development Center
PEACE Community Development and
Betterment Outreach Corp.
Peace Education Foundation
Performing Arts Center Trust
Phoenix Community Corp.
Playground Theater for Young Audiences
Public Health Trust/Jackson Health Systems
Quality United Education
Read 2 Succeed
Recapturing the Vision International
Regis House
REM Learning Center of South Florida
Re -Think and Re -Use Center
Safe School South Florida
dba/GLSEN South Florida
Sandor Weiner School of Opportunity
Sant La Haitain Neighborhood Center
Second Baptist Church of Richmond Heights
Shake -A -Leg
Shalom Community Church
Smart Kids
South Dade Weed and Seed
South Florida After School All Stars
South Florida Council -Learning for Life
South Florida Urban Ministries
South Florida Workforce
South Florida Youth Soccer Association
South Miami Alliance for Youth
Speaking Hands
Spirit Ministry
St. Agnes Rainbow Village Community
Development Corp.
Starbot
Summerbridge Miami
Switch Hitter Baseball
Switchboard of Miami
Take Stock in Children
Teen Up -Ward Bound
27
Funded Programs and Agencies
(continued)
The Alternative Directions Music Industry
Training
The Bertha Abess Children's Center
The Biscayne Foundation
The Carrie Brazer Center for Adults &
Alternative Approaches
The Child Assault Prevention Project of
South Florida
The Dellutri Christmas Foundation
The Excel Academy
The Family Christian Association of America
The JPM Centre at Miami Gardens Drive
The Moore Space
The On it Foundation
The Portrait of Empowerment
The Resource Room
The Richmond-Perrine Optimist Club
The Roxy Theater Group
"he Samantha Foundation
The Shimmy Club
The South Florida Boys Choir
The Theater Institute of South Florida
The Thinking Child Academy
The Thinking Child Learning Center
The Thomas Armour Youth Ballet
The Tigertail Productions
The Village South
Therapy for Today
Thumbelina Learning Center
Town of Cutler Bay Out -of School Program
Trinity Church
TROY Community Academy
True Life Ministries
Mailman Center
UNIDAD of Miami Beach
United Cerebral Palsy
United Marshall Arts Academy
United Way of Miami -Dade Center for
Excellence in Early Education
University of Miami
Urban Empowerment Corp.
Urban League of Greater Miami
Urgent
Victim Services Center
Vision to Vision Human Services Corp.
Voices for Children
VSA Arts of Florida
Walensfein Musical Organization
WeCare of South Dade
Westcoast School for Human Development
Work America
World Literacy Crusade of Florida
YMCA of Greater Miami
Young Children in Action
Youth Co -Op Y J
Youth Expressions
Youth of America
YWCA of Greater Miami
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= Miami -Dade
Program Locations
BecauseAll Children Are Our Children.
SUBMITTED INTO THE
PUBLIC RECORD FOR
ITEM aP ONL�er
Mission
To improve the lives of children and families in Miami -Dade County by
making strategic investments in their futures.
1
The Children'sTrust
305-571-5700 • FAX 305-571-5716
www.thechildren strust.org