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Background
Thousands of children are living in poverty in Palm Beach County, Florida and often spend significant time without adult supervision between the time school ends and the evening when a working parent or parents come home. Most of the families served by St. Georges have incomes of less than $16,000 per year or equal to about three times below the government defined definition of poverty.
The results for these "latch-key" children may be physical danger from exposure to wayward older siblings involved in drugs or crime, malnutrition, and delays in scholastic achievement because relatives or care givers cannot do the at home activities so necessary to the education of children such as reading.
The following statement's were taken from the 2008 Progress Report on the State of Children in Palm Beach County prepared by the Children's Services Council.
A child's health and development are intricately related to the conditions in which they live and grow.
Economic factors are forcing working class families to increasingly rely upon someone other than a family member to provide care for children.
In 2008 there were over 4,000 children waiting for services.
The good news is that those children who have attended St. George's After School/Out of School Program have found a "place for hope". Recently the forth grade level, who attend the public charter school from which most of the children come from, scored very high on reading level achievement compared with other children from other areas of Palm Beach County.
St. George's After School/Out of School Program works with the consortium of Prime Time Palm Beach County, Inc. and the Children's Services Council to develop and maintain a high quality program. Studies done by Prime Time have shown that programs like those at St. George's have definite and significant benefits in improving children's health and academic achievement as well as for society as a whole.
Unfortunately the economic downturn has created a real threat to St. George's ability to continue to provide the services so desparately needed in the Riviera Beach community. Cutbacks in government services and a new requirement that even devastatingly poor families must pay $20 per month per child do not bode well for the well being of the community and its children.
The After School/Out of School Program
The Director of the After School/Out of School Program is Everette Mitchell who like many of the staff of the Program grew up in Riviera Beach. Although he was a high school football star and was recruited to play college football, his own childhood was one of family strife, poverty, and often bad choices made in his circle of neighborhood friends. His ability to relate to the children and dedication to their success is a major asset to St. George's Center.
St. George’s Center, Inc. provides an Out-of-School Program for elementary school children in the Riviera Beach area. This program is provided for children on after school days, on early release days, many school holidays, and in the summer.
The services include:
Tutorial assistance
A variety of reading materials at St. George’s Center
Field Trips
A Computer Lab
A meals program
On after school days – a snack and dinner
On early release (1/2) days – a snack and dinner
On full days (school holidays) – breakfast, lunch, and snack
Arts and Crafts
Drama, Dance, and Music activities
Language skills
Games and activities
Indoor and Outdoor recreation
Step Routines
HOURS OF OPERATION
After School 2:00 P.M. – 6:00 P.M.
Early Release (1/2 days) 11:30 A.M. – 6:00 P.M.
Full days (including summer) 7:30 A.M. – 5:30 P.M.
Summer Program 7:30 A.M. – 5:30 P.M.
