Council Update: Council approves $500,000 for COVID-19 application for nonprofits

At an emergency council meeting this week, Children’s Services Council of Palm Beach County’s board approved the use of up to $500,000 for a contingency fund to support nonprofits working to meet the needs of local families.

The Council’s contingency fund, and dollars dedicated by seven other partners, will be distributed by each organization through the COVID-19 Relief & Recovery Application process. The Council’s funding has been earmarked for food, basic needs (excluding shelter), and direct services to children and families. Funding also was made available to help meet the increased demands on the 2-1-1 Helpline, which has seen its call volume more than double during the crisis.

The other groups, which will allocate funds in their areas of service, are Allegany Franciscan Ministries, Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties, Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County, Lost Tree Foundation, Mary and Robert Pew Public Education Foundation, Quantum Foundation and United Way of Palm Beach County.

The board also approved the Council continue to fund its contracted programs, which are either delivering services to children and families in alternative forms or redeploying their staff to help the community in other ways. The Council will continue to fund child care providers through the end of March to ensure the continuity of infrastructure, and will come back with recommendations at the next council meeting on how to proceed. 

In other business, the Council:
•    Approved up to $1.7 million for summer camp scholarships this year.
•    Approved up to $300,000 to support the Great Ideas Pipeline initiative. 
•    Approved up to $90,974 to support an agreement with Student ACES for the Grassroots/Student-led Grant-Making Pilot for 2020-2021.
•    Proclaimed April as Child Abuse Prevention Month.