For the second year in a row, the Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County (JWB) is hosting a series of family-friendly events across Pinellas County to celebrate and support grandparents raising their grandchildren.

Three unique and free Grand Families Events will be held this spring where families headed by grandparents can come out to enjoy great food, fun activities, and resources designed to support them in their caregiver roles. We are also extending invitations to these events to all relative caregivers who are raising their nieces, nephews, or siblings in their homes.

“As a grandparent myself who is raising my two grandsons, I can speak to the unique joys and challenges this presents. While I am fortunate to have access to resources, I know many struggle to know where to turn,” shared JWB CEO Beth Houghton, who is a passionate advocate for relative care. “JWB is dedicated to bringing resources to grandparents and other relative caregivers who are stepping up to help their kin, as well as making connections to improve their quality of life and strengthen their families.”

During our first series of events last year, grandparents told us of the rising costs of meeting basic and immediate needs as they’re stepping up in an unexpected role during their later years. JWB listened and, this year, we’ve gathered even more partners to help these families overcome their unique challenges and walk away with practical items that they need every day: Grand families can come out for a fun-filled day of free activities, food, music and crafts—and leave with non-perishable food items, safety kits, infant and hygiene items, and more!

Information about the three Grand Families events is listed below. All events are being hosted by JWB and our three Community Councils in north, mid-, and south Pinellas County and are free of charge to the public.

DID YOU KNOW?

U.S. CENSUS BUREAU DATA:

According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS), in the United States (Grandparents and Their Coresident Grandchildren: 2021):

• 6,928,281 grandparents are living with their grandchildren.
• Almost 33% of those grandparents report sole responsibility for their grandchild(ren).
• 16% of grandchildren under the age of 18 living with grandparents were in poverty.

2021 PINELLAS COUNTY DATA

According to the ACS (2021), in Pinellas County:

• 17,072 grandparents are living with their grandchildren.
• 35% of those grandparents report sole responsibility for their grandchild(ren).
• 22% of grandchildren under the age of 18 living with grandparents were in poverty.

A 3-in-1 and individual event flyers are attached as PNGs. PDFs in English and Spanish can be downloaded from www.jwbpinellas.org/calendar.

GRAND FAMILIES EVENTS – FREE TO THE PUBLIC:

South County Grand Families Unity Day

Saturday, April 5th from 11:00 AM-3:00 PM

Campbell Park, 601 14th St. S., St. Petersburg, FL 33705

A resource fair hosted by JWB and our South County Community Council with no-cost health screenings and kids’ haircuts; fun crafts and a food truck; plus free non-perishable food boxes, hygiene supplies, and other giveaways.

North County Grand Families Day

Saturday, April 26th from 10:00 AM-1:00 PM

CAP | Union Academy Family Center, 401 E. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr., Tarpon Springs, FL 34689

Hosted by JWB’s North County Community Council, the event will feature family resources, free health screenings, family-friendly activities and giveaways of non-perishable food boxes, hurricane supplies, and more.

Mid-County Grand Families Resource Fair: Celebrating the Heroes of Caregiving

Saturday, May 10th from 10:00 AM-1:00 PM

Pinellas Park Performing Arts Center, 4951 78th Ave. N., Pinellas Park, FL 33781

JWB’s Mid-County Community Council-hosted fair will provide family resources; free health screenings and kids haircuts; family-friendly activities and giveaways of non-perishable food boxes, hygiene and safety supplies, and more.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Learn more about JWB’s Grand Families Events and download PDFs in English and Spanish at www.jwbpinellas.org/calendar.

For questions, contact Community Engagement Manager Yaridis Garcia at 813-381-2407 or ygarcia@jwbpinellas.org.

Karen Boggess, who has been with Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County (JWB) for nearly 20 years, was recently promoted to Chief Operating Officer (COO).

“In each role at JWB, Ms. Boggess has become more and more valuable to the work that we do for children and families,” said JWB CEO Beth A. Houghton when announcing the promotion.

Ms. Boggess, who holds a master’s degree in social work, served in a variety of roles in children’s mental health before moving from New York to Florida.

When she joined JWB in 2005, she started as a Senior Contract Manager. She continued in Program positions of increasing responsibility, which included the creation of the Quality Early Learning Initiative, until 2014, when she was promoted to Manager of Performance and Evaluation.

In 2021, Ms. Boggess was promoted to Chief Program Officer (CPO). In this role, she led JWB’s workforce stabilization efforts and increased opportunities for JWB-funded programs, overseeing the community event support funding and the growth of community initiatives and collaboratives.

In her new role as COO, Ms. Boggess will lead the performance of the following units reporting to her: Program Administration, Community Engagement, Community Collaborations, Family Services Initiative, and Performance and Evaluation.

“Ms. Boggess is well-equipped to continue growing with the Juvenile Welfare Board as we work for Pinellas children and families,” Ms. Houghton concluded.

Read Ms. Boggess’ full bio.

Beth A. Houghton has been named to the Board of Directors for Tampa Bay Thrives (TBT), a nonprofit that envisions an emotionally healthy community where mental health is a priority and all thrive together. Established in 2019, TBT brings together community leaders from across the Tampa Bay region to devise strategic solutions centered on behavioral health navigation, access to care, and stigma reduction.

Ms. Houghton serves as the Chief Executive Officer for the Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County (JWB), a mission-driven organization with an 80-year history of strengthening the lives of children and families. In her CEO role, Ms. Houghton oversees an annual impact budget of $133 million and serves as the nexus between the JWB Governing Board and day-to-day operations. This includes administering accountability systems and measurements to safeguard the community’s investments, advocating for children’s issues and underserved families, and overseeing the funding of high-quality programs that served more than 77,000 children and families last year. She also directs the implementation of life-changing strategic initiatives and campaigns that benefit tens of thousands annually, including JWB’s Children’s Mental Health Initiative aimed at fostering prevention, early intervention, and treatment with a focus on children ages 4 to 11.

“Beth is a strong leader and advocate in the children’s mental health space,” stated Carrie Zeisse, President and CEO of Tampa Bay Thrives. “Her breadth of knowledge and wealth of experience as JWB’s CEO will bring a fresh perspective and expertise to the table. We are thrilled to have Beth join our Board.”

Since 2018, JWB’s Children’s Mental Health Initiative has successfully integrated behavioral health and support services within pediatric practices, built capacity for pediatricians to feel equipped and comfortable identifying and treating low-to-moderate mental health conditions, and focused on public awareness and family engagement outreach to normalize conversations about mental health and wellness. Last year alone, the initiative screened 17,000 children for early detection and intervention, resulting in 8,000 behavioral health visits within pediatric settings, and engaged 7,500 through community events focused on mental wellbeing.

“Under Beth’s leadership, JWB continues the important work of promoting children’s mental health and wellness by reducing stigma, fostering healthy connections, and getting further upstream towards prevention,” added Zeisse.

Ms. Houghton’s prior experience includes serving as CEO of the St. Petersburg Free Clinic and Chief Financial Officer and General Counsel of All Children’s Health System. She graduated with honors from Stetson College of Law, Tulane University Graduate School of Business, and Newcomb College of Tulane. She is licensed to practice law in Florida and served as Chairman of the Board for Signature Bank in St. Petersburg. In addition, Ms. Houghton is the Immediate Past Chair of the Hospital Board of H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, prior Board President for Great Explorations Houghton-Wagman Children’s Museum, was named a Boss for Babies by the Florida Children’s Movement, and has taken numerous mission trips to rural Honduras.

This Saturday, June 22, the Juvenile Welfare Board (JWB) and St. Petersburg Free Clinic (SPFC) will partner to giveaway free fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, and more to families struggling to put food on the table for their kids this summer. This event will take place in the JWB Parking Lot located at 14155 58^th St. N., Clearwater, FL 33760, and is the first of six events planned at sites across Pinellas County this summer.

“A perfect storm is brewing for struggling families,” stated Beth Houghton, JWB Chief Executive Officer. “Summer is always a challenge, given so many children count on school meals for their daily nutrition. This summer is particularly tough since a pandemic-initiated stipend of $300 per child will end for families who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, otherwise known as Summer EBT. This comes at a time of high housing, utility, and food costs, and the gap-weeks before and after summer school are of particular concern.”

JWB’s Childhood Hunger Collaborative forecasted this issue ahead of summer and convened partners to quickly devise a plan. The group has been highly effective in identifying and filling food gaps for kids, responding swiftly to urgent needs as it did throughout the pandemic.

“JWB is committed to ensuring no child goes hungry. We invest $4.2M in bulk food with the St. Pete Free Clinic, which then distributes to food banks and pantries across Pinellas County,” continued Houghton. “We will access these investments to distribute free fresh food to families at six drive-thru mobile sites in mid, north, and south Pinellas County, starting this Saturday.”

Each family will receive a variety of fresh fruits, vegetables, proteins/meats, dairy, eggs, cereals, canned goods, and more – approximately 52+ pounds of food per family. A total of 21,000 pounds of food will be given away at each event, which equates to 126,000 pounds of food distributed across the six events when summer ends.

For a list of all six summer food events, visit www.jwbpinellas.org/calendar/free-summer-food-for-families/

Childhood Hunger Stats:

• 1 in 8 (18,369) children in Pinellas County are food insecure, or 12.6% of the total population of children under age 18.
• 1 in 5 (676,945) children in Florida are food insecure, or 14.3% of the total population of children under age 18.
• 1 in 5 (14,783,000) children in the United States are food insecure, or 20% of the total population of children under age 18.

*Food insecurity means children do not have enough food at times for a healthy, active life.

WHAT:            Summer Food for Families Drive-Thru Mobile Food Pantry Giveaway

WHEN:            Saturday, June 22, 2024, from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM (while supplies last)

WHERE:           Juvenile Welfare Board Parking Lot, 14155 58^th St. N., Clearwater, FL 33760

WHO:              Families with children in need of food (anticipate feeding 400+ families at this one event). Elected officials and other dignitaries will be on hand to volunteer to pass out food.

Editor’s Note: There will be opportunities for interviews with JWB CEO Beth Houghton, elected officials/VIPs who will be volunteering, and families in the drive-thru line who are receiving free food. We will also have staff available to give interviews in Spanish.

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ABOUT JWB: For more than 75 years, JWB has been investing in the futures of children to strengthen our community. JWB invests in programs, services, and initiatives so children are ready to learn, succeed, and thrive in homes, schools, and neighborhoods that are healthy and safe. To learn more about JWB, please visit www.jwbpinellas.org.

ABOUT SPFC: With compassion and respect, SPFC changes lives by providing health care, nutritious food, recovery housing, and education for our neighbors in need.  To learn more about SPFC, please visit www.thespfc.org.

The Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County (JWB) is pleased to announce that Robbi Stivers has been named Chief Financial Officer of the organization.

“We are extremely fortunate to have Robbi join our team,” stated Beth Houghton, JWB Chief Executive Officer. “He has extensive experience navigating the intricacies of government finance in top executive roles, mainly in higher education, and has a track record for demonstrating strong accountability and transparency, making him a good fit for our organization.”

Stivers is a proven leader with 20-plus years of finance experience with local and state governments and public higher education. Building on a successful banking career, he has applied principles of sound business practices, financial management, and organizational leadership to his government finance roles. Stivers is a skilled problem-solver who applies his entrepreneurial vision to create new programs for increased accountability and efficiencies; possesses in-depth knowledge of risk assessment and mitigation; and is savvy to federal, state, and local leadership, legislation, and regulatory environments.

In his role as JWB CFO, Stivers will be responsible for the development and use of sound fiscal and contracting policies and practices that support JWB’s mission and activities while furthering its strategic plan. As Department Chief, he will plan, direct, and supervise the work of JWB personnel engaged in the activities of accounting, budget preparation and analysis, procurement, administrative contract management, and program finance. In addition, he will regularly report to JWB’s 11-member Board who are representative of the community and guide citizens’ investments.

Stivers earned his B.S. in Business Administration from Tennessee Wesleyan University and his M.A. in Organizational Management from Tusculum University. He is a Certified Government Financial Manager (granted by the Association of Government Accountants). He has early career certifications and experience in both insurance and banking. 

JWB in an independent special taxing district that has been committed to making children a priority for more than 75 years. Governed by an 11-member Board and driven by data, JWB ensures children are ready to learn, ready to succeed, and ready to thrive in homes, schools, and neighborhoods that are healthy and safe. JWB invests in 100 quality programs with 53 nonprofit agencies, and works collectively to address childhood hunger, grade-level reading, and preventable child deaths. Last year, JWB’s investments strengthened the lives of more than 70,000 children and families across six strategic result areas: Early Childhood Development, School Readiness, School Success, the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect, Strengthening Community, and Organizational Capacity.