Council Update: Nearly 4,300 PBC children enjoyed camp last summer thanks to CSC funding

More Palm Beach County children than ever explored the wonders of camp last summer thanks to scholarships funded by Children’s Services Council and the Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners (Youth Services Department), CSC staff told the board at its March meeting. Of the more than 4,800 recipients, 4,294 children attended through scholarships funded with $4.3 million from CSC. 

To be eligible for a scholarship, children’s families had to meet certain financial criteria. Children were also eligible if, for example, they were diagnosed with a special need, were unhoused, participants in specific CSC programs or involved in the juvenile or child welfare systems. In all, 76 percent of the more than 6,900 applications received were awarded scholarships – and 92 percent of those awarded were used.

Children could attend one of 85 camps, which had been vetted by the county’s Youth Services Department. The majority were traditional summer camps, while 23 were educational enrichment camps, 11 were specialty camps and 3 were camps for children with special needs. 
Summer camp scholarships not only benefit children and their families, but the community at large. The county’s Youth Services staff found an economic impact of about $331,000 because the scholarships allowed for 139 internships and other employment opportunities.

For the upcoming summer (2025), families will choose from 103 camps. In addition, the county has committed to increase its funding by $500,000 for a total of more than $943,000. CSC’s Council also approved repurposing up to $1.5 million in under expenditures for scholarships, for a total of $4.5 million in funding. Camps, meanwhile, will see an increase in reimbursement rates.

In other business

Great Ideas Initiative: The Council approved repurposing up to $1.4 million in under expenditures for Great Ideas Initiative (GII) grants. These grants provide an opportunity for local, grassroots nonprofits to launch their great ideas on behalf of the county’s children and families. The GII is open to nonprofits with operating budgets of less than $1 million, which are working in partnership with local communities to achieve mutually agreed upon goals and aspirations. 

Mentorship: The Council approved $75,000 in continued funding to Balanced Living Mentorship for its “Get Your Mind Right!” project, beginning April 1, 2025, through March 31, 2026. Through the program, Registered Mental Health Counselors facilitate individual and group sessions, teach emotional regulation, communication, coping strategies, problem-solving, and self-care. The initiative helps young people manage stress, anxiety, anger, and other emotional challenges, fostering long-term emotional well-being. This program serves youth in Riviera Beach, Pahokee, and Belle Glade facing socio-economic challenges that contribute to mental, emotional, and behavioral struggles in teens (13-18).

Prenatal Plus: The Council approved an additional $42,000 for Prenatal Plus Mental Health services, increasing the total allocation to $645,315. This Center for Family Services program, which provides case management, nutrition counseling, and psychosocial services to pregnant women who are at risk of having a low-birth weight baby or other adverse birth outcomes, has had a significant waitlist over the past year. Currently, there are more than 65 women waiting for services. The additional funding will allow Center for Family Services to hire another therapist.

Camp T-shirts: The Council approved CSC to contract with Bravo KB LLC, or Promo Wearhouse Co LLC as an alternative if needed, in an amount not to exceed $66,000 for production and delivery of 15,000 CSC-branded T-shirts to camps participating in the Summer Camp Scholarship program, the majority of which are funded