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Children's Board Rises To The Challenge

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 2, 2008

The Children's Board of Hillsborough County stepped up in a big way for this community this week, approving a new effort to educate homeless children and saving a center for domestic violence victims from certain demise.

The board Thursday approved $624,000 to pay for young children from homeless families to be enrolled in early learning centers.

Safe and affordable childcare is a must to get families moving toward self-sufficiency. The brainchild of Hillsborough Commissioner Mark Sharpe and schools Superintendent MaryEllen Elia, this effort will enable more than 100 children to attend existing centers as early as March.

In rescuing the Family Justice Center, the board showed foresight and courage.

The comprehensive service center for domestic violence victims, one of only 15 in the country, was slated to close next week because it had run out of funding. It needed $350,000 to stay open until October when it would qualify for a new round of government grants.

Children's Board Executive Director Luanne Panacek said the board had to make tough choices since money is limited, but "in my heart, this is the right thing to do."

Imagine that - government with heart. Are other agencies taking notes?

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