COCONUT GROVE CARES INC

THE EDUCATIONAL, RECREATIONAL, AND CULTURALLY ENRICHING AFTER SCHOOL AND SUMMER PROGRAM PROVIDED A SAFE, HEALTHY, AND STIMULATING ENVIRONMENT WHERE CHILDREN EXPERIENCING ECONOMIC AND DOMESTIC HARDSHIPS INCREASED THEIR ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AND DEVELOPED POSITIVE SOCIAL SKILLS. THE AFTER SCHOOL OFFERED HOMEWORK HELP, TUTORING, ART, MUSIC, MINDFULNESS, AND DANCE. PARENTING WORKSHOPS, MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, AND SOCIAL SERVICE REFERRALS WERE ALSO PROVIDED. THE PROGRAM OPERATED MONDAY TO FRIDAY FROM 2 PM TO 6 PM. SUMMER CAMP WAS DESIGNED TO PREVENT SUMMER BRAIN DRAIN AND OPERATED FROM 8 AM TO 5:30 PM. ITS FOCUS WAS LITERACY, SCIENCE, AND SWIMMING. WE PARTNERED WITH ARTS4LEARNING, FIRST SERVE MIAMI, AND RANSOM EVERGLADES SCHOOL, WHICH PROVIDED SWIMMING LESSONS. THE AFTER SCHOOL AND SUMMER CAMP PROGRAM SERVED 97 UNDUPLICATED CHILDREN IN FY 23-24.OUR NEW PROGRAM, THRIVING KIDS AND FAMILIES, FOCUSES ON PROVIDING AND COORDINATING COMPREHENSIVE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES TO OUR COMMUNITY. THE TARGET POPULATION INCLUDES STUDENTS AGES 5-12 AND THEIR FAMILIES WITH ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES (ACE) LIVING BELOW THE POVERTY LINE AND STUDENTS AND FAMILIES WHO CONTINUOUSLY PUSH THROUGH SIMILAR GENERATIONAL CYCLES AT HIGHER LEVELS OF FUNCTIONING & QUALIFY AS PART OF THE ALICE POPULATION. WE AIM TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO EDUCATION ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH, INCREASE FAMILY ENGAGEMENT, BEGIN TO HEAL GENERATIONAL CYCLES OF TRAUMA IN THE COMMUNITY, AND ADDRESS THEIR IMPACT ON LEARNING. BY IMPROVING ACCESS, ENGAGEMENT & EDUCATION, WE RESPOND TO THE CHANGING NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY AND SUPPORT THE LARGER VISION OF IMPROVING HERD AWARENESS ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH SO THAT WE CAN DO OUR PART TOWARD THE OVERALL DESTIGMATIZATION OF MENTAL HEALTH IN COMMUNITIES OF COLOR.