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Schools hard-hit by Hurricane Harvey are benefiting from additional city funding earmarked for afterschool or out-of-school time through a program called CASE for Kids City Connections. The program is administered by Harris County Department of Education’s Center for Afterschool, Summer and Enrichment for Kids, or CASE for Kids.

Houston City Council District B represented by Jerry Davis and District E represented by Dave Martin awarded $25,000 and $85,000 respectively to area nonprofits to serve hurricane-battered schools like Kingwood High School. Kingwood High, which closed for the school year, shares space with neighboring Summer Creek High School and now benefits from $30,000 for afterschool services from CASE for Kids which are provided by the Humble ISD Education Foundation.

Houston City Council voted for $550,000 in funding to be issued to nonprofits in the 11 Houston City Council Districts A-K during school year 2017-2018. The first round of funding was announced in October and will be used through April 27.  Each award ranged from $4,000-$10,000.

Because several council districts did not award all of the initial $45,000 funding, they were allowed to solicit additional grantees through a request for proposal due by Nov. 7 and awarded in December.

Houston City Council Member Dave Martin awarded $85,000 to four nonprofits which will serve five schools in flooded areas through May 25. Martin increased his district’s overall grant budget for City Connections, dipping into his district funding to pay the balance. Council Member and Houston Vice Mayor Pro-Tem Jerry Davis awarded $25,000 to two organizations to serve two schools.

“We saw and still see a great need for services in schools where families were devastated by Hurricane Harvey,” said CASE for Kids Director Lisa Thompson-Caruthers. “Many of these children suffer from great emotional distress. These afterschool programs provide a layer of care that are helping families along the road to recovery.”

For more information about City Connections, view the October 2017 press release: http://hcde-texas.org/media-page/2016/2016_1013_case-city-connections/

For additional information about nonprofits and schools awarded grants in District B and E, view this link: http://www.afterschoolzone.org/users/0002/docs/City%20Connections/2017-2018%20%20Round%202%20Award%20List.pdf

About the Center for Afterschool, Summer and Enrichment for Kids, or CASE for Kids:
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.

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 http://www.hcde-texas.org.