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Committee reviews children’s services inventory and KHA funding; JFRD youth programs and grant pass-throughs detailed
Summary
The committee heard a detailed rundown of children’s services, including KHA-funded slots and programs, JFRD youth programs, and several grant and pass-through items; staff provided participation figures (meals, summer slots, after-school slots) and reminded members that KHA contracts are third-party vendor–based under the Municipal Code.
Committee staff and partners reviewed the city’s children’s services portfolio on June 3, covering Parks & Rec after-school and summer camps, Jacksonville Fire & Rescue Department youth programs, grants and contract compliance, and the Kids Hope Alliance (KHA) budget and program footprint.
Parks staff summarized after-school and summer offerings operated directly by Parks and by third-party partners. City-operated Club Rec and Teen Warehouse programs serve elementary and teen age groups; committee materials showed 1,077 participants enrolled in Parks-operated summer camps in 2024 and two-week session fees listed at $95 with vouchers reported for qualifying families. Third-party providers operate additional summer programs and often receive KHA support for scholarships or operations.
Jacksonville Fire & Rescue Department (JFRD) operates two youth-focused programs noted by staff: the Firefighter Explorer program (in partnership with Boy Scouts of America), for ages 14–17, for which staff said the city pays the Boy Scouts $2,600; and an Inspired Youth program (through Inspired Arise Inc.) funded by opioid-program dollars, described in materials as a roughly $300,000 program serving ages 10–15 with co-occurring behavioral-health and substance-use risk factors.
Committee staff summarized grants and pass-throughs: a $10,000 direct contract to a local nonprofit (I'm a Star Foundation) and a pass-through of fees to Duval County Public Schools for driver’s education funded by a $3 traffic citation fee program (about $300,000 pass-through reported in materials).
On KHA, staff presented high-level budget and program figures. Committee materials stated the city provides about $58,000,000 in funding to support children’s services (the presentation noted the bulk supports essential services). Staff emphasized that, pursuant to the Municipal Code, KHA contracts for third-party vendors rather than providing direct services internally and that KHA targets children and youth who meet specific eligibility criteria in committee materials (for example, income at or below county median by family size, current protective services or IEP status).
Staff provided outcome and service metrics for KHA that staff used to illustrate scale: more than 250,000 meals served through the nutrition program in 2024; approximately 7,200 summer slots and 8,600 after-school slots provided; youth diverted from the juvenile justice system through diversion programs numbered 917; and nearly 200 youth participated in a youth travel trust fund. Staff also noted KHA contracts encompass more than 100 vendors operating many sites (several vendors operate multiple locations).
Ending: Committee members thanked staff for compiling the detailed materials and noted the inventory will inform oversight work and budget deliberations. No formal actions were taken during the meeting.
