View council member photos: http://goo.gl/LMu7GQ (password hcde1889)

Dec. 6, 2017 – Citizens in 11 Houston City Council districts benefit for a fourth consecutive year from a $550,000 program funded by the City of Houston and administered by Harris County Department of Education’s Center for Afterschool, Summer and Enrichment for Kids called CASE for Kids City Connections.

Nonprofit organizations in each of the council districts receive $45,000 in funding ranging from $5,000 to $15,000 for programs for children in grades K-12. Funding began Oct. 23 and continues through April 27. The city and CASE for Kids allowed school districts, charter schools, faith-based organizations or civic groups to apply through a request for proposal.

“City Connections promotes crime prevention, child safety, career exploration, enrichment activities and social and emotional learning for Houston children during a time of great need in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey,” said Lisa Thompson-Caruthers, director of CASE for Kids. “A recent survey shows a significant number of afterschool programs were affected by Harvey, yet many kept their doors open in those Houston communities.”

As an afterschool intermediary, CASE for Kids provides resources, trainings and funding for students in grades pre-k through 12 in afterschool programs in schools, child care facilities and community centers. As a branch of Harris County Department of Education, the division was founded in 1999 with a goal to keep kids safe, help working families and improve academic achievement.

According to HCDE Superintendent James Colbert, Jr., CASE for Kids City Connections is critically needed as Houston families continue to rebuild from Harvey.

“We are thankful the city continues to invest in our children and their families, especially as afterschool funding is being cut from other state and federal budgets,” Colbert said. “Afterschool programs are important as they keep children in our city safe and provide enrichment.”

Council members are invited on Dec. 5 and 6 to meet the recipients of the funding which is awarded through a request for proposal via CASE for Kids. CASE for Kids will provide photos and networking between the council members and the nonprofit organizations.

Several council districts are opting to increase funding for City Connections from their own council district service funds. Many are located in areas hard-hit by Harvey.

To find programs funded in each of the council districts, access http://goo.gl/YfuAUw or learn more about City Connections at www.afterschoolzone.org.  

Photo: Councilwoman Karla Cisneros, left, and CASE for Kids Director Lisa Caruthers, right, pose with City Connections grant recipients Megan Steckly and Colin Dempsey of Comp-U-Dopt at City Hall, December 6, 2017. View council member photos: http://goo.gl/LMu7GQ (password hcde1889)

About Harris County Department of Education: HCDE provides special education, therapy services, early education, adult education and after-school programming. Services are funded by government grants, fees and a local property tax rate of $.005195. For every dollar in local property tax collected, HCDE provides $4.40 in services to the 25 Harris County school districts. HCDE also operates four campuses for students with profound special education needs and adjudicated youth who require a low student-teacher ratio and highly structured environment. One-hundred percent of students served on HCDE campuses are at-risk. The organization is governed by an elected board of seven trustees and has 1,060 employees and 33 facilities, including 15 Head Start centers. More info at www.hcde-texas.org.