Harris County Commissioners Celebrate 2024 County Connections Awardees with CASE for Kids
During a series of celebrations, the Center for Afterschool, Summer and Enrichment for Kids (CASE for Kids), a division of Harris County Department of Education (HCDE), joined hands with Harris County Commissioners to honor the participants of the 2024 County Connections Youth Summer Initiative. This year, over $1.3 million was awarded to more than 50 non-profit organizations that provided youth summer enrichment programming.
CASE for Kids, established in 1999, serves as an afterschool intermediary. Their work includes providing resources, trainings, and funding for students in grades pre-k through 12 involved in afterschool programs in schools, child care facilities, and community centers. With a key goal of safeguarding children, assisting working families, and promoting academic achievement, CASE for Kids plays a pivotal role as part of the Harris County Department of Education.
The HCDE in itself is a one-of-a-kind educational hybrid, annually providing service to a quarter-million students and educators. Their work envelops several sectors of education, including schools for students with profound special needs, the largest adult education program in Texas, Head Start early childhood education, school-based therapy services, and afterschool programs. Additionally, they provide services in professional development and certification for educators, school safety, records management, and a purchasing cooperative.
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The 2024 County Connections Youth Summer Initiative, which saw certificates of recognition and service being presented to its awardees, was supported by grants ranging from $3,750 to $20,000. These grants helped purchase materials and supplies for activities, create more programming opportunities, and reduce fees and offer scholarships to families. Organizations situated in all four county precincts received grant funding, and services were tailored to address the specific needs of each community for sports activities, fine arts, academic enrichment, college readiness initiatives and youth mentoring programs. View a comprehensive list of the grant recipients here.
Harris County, in cooperation with CASE for Kids, provided the funding for this initiative. The Harris County Commissioners and HCDE signed off on a four-year interlocal agreement in April 2023 amounting to $7.1 million to back this program.
For more information about CASE for Kids, visit www.hcde-texas.org/afterschoolzone.
Tiffany Krenek has been on the My Neighborhood News team since August 2021. She is passionate about curating and sharing content that enriches the lives of our readers in a personal, meaningful way. A loving mother and wife, Tiffany and her family live in the West Houston/Cypress region.
