M E M O R A N D U M
To: Honorable Mayor and Town Council
From: Rafael G. Casals, Town Manager
Date: July 16, 2014
Re: Acceptance of a FY 2014-15 Florida Department of Juvenile Justice Grant Agreement (After School/Summer Program)
REQUESTTitle
A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF CUTLER BAY, FLORIDA, APPROVING THE CONTRACT BETWEEN THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF JUVENILE JUSTICE AND THE TOWN OF CUTLER BAY FOR THE PROVISION OF AN AFTER SCHOOL/SUMMER PROGRAM AT CUTLER RIDGE PARK; AUTHORIZING THE TOWN MANAGER TO EXECUTE THE SAME; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
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BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS
Funding Source: Florida Department of Juvenile Justice
Grant Title: Afterschool and Summer Programs (RFP #10167)
Amount Awarded: $75,000 Match Required: $0
On February 21, 2014 the State of Florida Department of Juvenile Justice with grant funds made available through the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) issued Request for Proposal (RFP) #10167. The purpose of this RFP was to solicit proposals from youth service providers delivering afterschool and summer programs that address "at-risk" youth between the ages of five (5) and seventeen (17).
On April 1, 2014, the Town of Cutler Bay submitted a proposal to support the After School and Summer Program at Cutler Ridge Park (Attachment "A"). The Town ranked eleven (11) out of fifty-eight (58) respondents (Attachment "B") and on June 19, 2014, the Town received notification of award in the amount of $75,000 (Attachment "C"). The anticipated service start date is August 1, 2014. This contract is renewable for up to three (3) years at the same funding level, contingent upon funding availability.
Since 2009, the Town has used grant funding from The Children's Trust to serve youth from "low" to "moderate" income households and "at-risk" youth between the ages of five (5) and twelve (12). The Town has identified indicators of "at-risk" youth as; poor school achievement, lack of parental supervision during out-of-school hours, limited social skills, and sedentary behaviors.
Seventy-five (75) youth will benefit from this Florida Department of Juvenile Justice grant. The Town will enhance the Parks & Recreation's Afterschool/Summer Programs which are partially funded by The Children's Trust. This will be accomplished by increasing the number of educational and cultural activities offered to the youth, and making the Town's Summer Camp services accessible to families that normally would not be able to afford a Summer Camp program for their child(ren). Additional activities and services that youth will receive through the Afterschool/Summer Program include;
· Literacy
· Physical & Artistic Development Activities
· Social Skills
· Parent/Youth Engagement
· Educational Assistance
· Educational/Cultural Community Trips
The grant/contract between the Town and the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice will allow the Parks and Recreation Department to further enhance the existing quality of our After School/Summer Programming for many families in the Cutler Bay community that will address their children's recreational, educational and social needs.
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the Town Council grants the Town Manager permission to enter into an agreement with the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice to accept $75,000 in grant funding to enhance services provided by the Town's Parks and Recreation Department.