Local Charity Remains Dedicated to Our Community’s Children
Boca Raton, FL – May 15, 2020 – In the interest of public safety and like so many other agencies, Florence Fuller Child Development Centers (FFCDC) temporarily closed its doors on our two campuses in mid-March and redirected our efforts to support our parents by providing virtual education, enrichment for our children, and intensive family support services ensuring families’ needs are met during this uncertain and stressful time.
We remain steadfast in our commitment to the education, health and safety of our children, families, staff, and community while finding creative ways to continue serving our children and families from a distance.
Our teachers immediately prepared educational packets for the children to take home on day one. With the help of a technology teacher, they created age-appropriate curriculum and activities and helped the parents stay connected. Children were assessed and placed in Google classrooms that were comparable to their abilities. Each week they continue to work and engage parents in the learning process so that developmental milestones, skills, and aptitudes are met while they shelter at home.
To ensure that no child goes hungry, we are distributing 100 meals a day to our families at the east and west campuses, thanks to a very generous donor and community partner. Our Family Support Team makes regular wellness calls to assist families with immediate needs such accessing food, paying utility bills, housing, medical and behavioral health care, unemployment claims, and job search assistance.
Our parents are the foundation of our local economy. They are the essential workers – working in the grocery stores, gleaning on the farms, driving delivery trucks, working as orderlies, medical assistants, and maintenance technicians. They are the frontline workers who have been risking their own safety to support us throughout the crisis and will be counting on us when our community reopens. Some of them lost their jobs as the crisis worsened, and now face numerous unforeseen hardships. Without a job they will be unable to afford childcare, putting them in a double bind.
FFCDC is diligently working toward reopening to provide the valuable resources, high-quality childcare, early education, summer camp programming, and family support services for hundreds of essential workers who need us most. Due to CDC guidelines, we are restricted to serving 1/3 of the children who count on us, while our staffing pattern and expenses due to the new requirements are increasing.
The Centers remain grateful for the support we are receiving from the Early Learning Coalition and Head Start. However, we need the support of the community now more than ever to assist in caring for the children of frontline workers that we’ve all been depending on throughout this crisis.
Please visit ffcdc.org/how-we-help/covid-19-emergency-fund to learn how you can help.
About Florence Fuller Child Development Centers
For nearly 50 years, FFCDC has made a difference for economically challenged children and families through early education to help build a sense of renewed hope in their community. FFCDC prepares children for a lifetime commitment to learning and social achievement and empowers their families to build a brighter future. Learn more at www.ffcdc.org.
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COVID-19 Continuing Efforts
Florence Fuller Child Development Centers
Contact: Mary Coleman, 561-391-7274, ext. 123
mcoleman@ffcdc.org / www.ffcdc.org
