From online schooling to financial, food and shelter insecurities, and, of course, health, well-being and safety, the challenges and obstacles facing children and families these days are unprecedented.
As Miami-Dade County ventured into 2021, there was hope that some of the trials and tribulations caused by the coronavirus pandemic last year would subside.
So far, that hasn’t been the case.
Civil unrest, vaccination disorder and COVID-19 cases pile up and threaten to keep us in emergency-mode for the foreseeable future. While the news is sobering, Miami-Dade County can continue to turn to the same organization that has seen it through so many of the challenges of the past year: The Children’s Trust.
What Is the Children’s Trust?
Approved by county voters in 2002, The Children’s Trust mission is to partner with the community to plan, advocate and fund strategic investments to improve the lives of children and families in Miami-Dade County. For years, that meant supporting an array of programs that support all the county’s children in a variety of initiatives.
So what does it do now, amid the COVID-19 pandemic?
As of last year, the Children’s Trust expanded its role to meet the emergency needs of those it serves.The Trust pivoted to helping families with their most basic needs, supporting food banks, funding emergency measures to help with rent and utilities, and providing personal protective equipment to health care providers, early child care educators and staff, Trust providers, children within the programs and the public in general.
Many of the health care initiatives the Trust supported, including pediatric mobile units and school health clinics, adjusted to offer COVID-19 testing and redirected personnel to support children and families’ health needs.
What establishments has The Children’s Trust partnered with, to help the community?
The Children’s Trust Board of Directors approved spending to partner with a variety of community organizations like the United Way of Miami-Dade, the University of Miami, health organizations, diaper banks and more to provide the support directly where it was needed. But even that was not enough.
“Over the past 10 months, the Trust knew the scope of issues facing children and families in Miami-Dade County was something we have never before experienced,” said president and CEO James R. Haj. “We knew we had to do more. And we did.”
How has it directly helped people impacted by the pandemic?
The Trust played a central role in keeping child care options, resources and appropriate activities available for families who may need them. Initially, that meant helping keep its child care providers supported so they may remain open to serve children of emergency personnel and others, even when they were forced to shutter during lockdowns. Eventually, The Trust took the lead in helping establish guidelines for safe reopening and operations for child care centers, summer camps and after-school programs.
What programs does The Children’s Trust offer?
The Children’s Trust recognized that it needed to be a leader in not only supporting other providers but presenting the public with solutions that popped up during the crisis. Less than two weeks after the county ordered its first lockdown, The Trust launched StayHome.Miami, a website that featured engaging education and entertainment options for children and families forced to stay at home.
The website included partnerships with the Miami Marlins, U.S. Soccer Foundation, artist Romero Britto and even Gloria Estefan. The website has garnered over 200,000 visits by that provided families much needed resources.
The Children’s Trust also launched its revamped Book Club during the pandemic, expanding membership access to all county children from birth to 5 years old, and giving them the chance to get a free book every month in the mail in English or Spanish. Membership during the pandemic has grown exponentially.
Other programs like The Children’s Trust Parent Club also adjusted during the pandemic, moving its operations to a virtual format instead of in-person, to give parents a chance to learn valuable skills by attending Zoom workshops. This year’s upcoming Parent Club workshops include a new series on issues dealing with the pandemic and parenting.
What is the Children’s Trust doing to acknowledge racial equality and social justice issues?
In order to deal with issues that came to the forefront last year, The Trust created a special committee of the Trust Board to address local issues and will soon present a blueprint to enact real, tangible change in the community.
While the list of challenges seems to be growing in 2021, The Children’s Trust says it is committed to facing them as quickly as they arise.
“The Trust won’t stop until we make sure that all children in Miami-Dade have everything they need to grow up safe, healthy and with the best chance at a bright future. It’s what we do,” Haj said.