Governor's Initiatives
Digital Divide Council
www.digitaldividecouncil.org
SB 1672, passed during the 2001 Legislative Session, created the Digital Divide Council within the State Technology Office. One of the main responsibilities of the Council is to design and implement pilot projects across the state. The Council is required to establish pilot programs in a minimum of six different areas of the state. The areas of the state where the pilot programs are to be implemented shall be selected by the Council, with the objectives of testing the merits of the programs in each geographic region of the state and providing equal exposure of the programs to urban and rural communities.
2002 Annual Report:
2002 Executive Summary
Click here to view the 2002 Executive Summary.
2002 Annual Report
Click here to view the 2002 Annual Report.
back to top
PowerUp Florida
www.flamentoring.org/myflorida/governorsoffice/mentoring/powerup.html
PowerUP Florida is one of the Governor's initiative, via a public-private partnership aimed at bridging Florida's "digital divide"- the gap between those who have access to computers and Internet technology and those who do not. In partnership with the national PowerUP organization, the Florida-based coalition has established some 25 computer lab sites in underserved communities across Florida - making Florida the most proactive state in the union in efforts to combat the "digital divide." Beyond providing a safe place for youth to access computers, programs are working with the Governor's statewide Mentoring Initiative to provide mentors who will teach participants how to responsibly use computers and the Internet.
Locations:
Bradenton
Boys and Girls Club of Manatee County
Ft. Lauderdale
New Visions CDC (Broward Gardens, Cambridge Square and Driftwood Terrace Apts.)
Urban League of Broward County
Gainesville
Boys and Girls Club of Alachua County/Gainesville
Hollywood
Institute for Community Empowerment of Hollywood
Jacksonville
Brentwood Park Resident Management Corporation
Lawrence Lee Memorial Boys and Girls Club
Miami/Dade County
Aspira's Accolade Middle School
Communities in Schools of Dade County
Greater Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church
Miami Beach police Athletic League
Miami-Dade Housing Agency (Richmond Hills)
North Dade Community Development Corporation
North Miami Aspira N. Division
Oakland
Oakland Park Communities in Schools of Broward County
Orlando
St. Marks Family Life Center, Inc.
Boys and Girls Club of Central Florida/Orlando (Southwest Branch)
Panama City
Panama City Boys and Girls Clubs of Bay County
Pensacola
Gulf Wind Council of Camp Fire, Inc.
St. Petersburg
Boys and Girls Clubs of the Suncoast
Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance
Sarasota
Sarasota County Educational Assistance Program
Tallahassee
Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church
Boys and Girls Clubs of Big Bend (Orange Avenue and Springfield Road)
Greater Frenchtown Revitalization Council
Tampa
Boys and Girls Clubs of Tampa Bay (Plant City)
Computer Mentors Group, Inc. of Tampa
Tampa/Hillsborough Urban League, Inc.
Tampa United Methodist Centers, Inc. (Progress Village)
Tampa YMCA
back to top
Front Porch Florida
www.myf lorida.com/myflorida/government/learn/frontporch/index.html
Front Porch Florida presents a new opportunity for communities presently working toward holistic community revitalization. This initiative is designed to provide underserved communities the means by which to participate in the revitalization of their communities. The Front Porch Initiative is intended to partner residents and stakeholders with internal and external partners to implement change. Community-wide education and training, with an accent on future community preservation, is strongly encouraged. Technical assistance and training is provided by the Office of Urban Opportunity and its partners.
Locations:
Bartow - West Bartow Neighborhood
The West Bartow Neighborhood is home to approximately 1,260 residents, which is about 8.4 percent of the city's population. Its ethnic makeup is predominately African- American with an average household size of approximately 3.4 persons; the per capita income is $10,524; the average unemployment rate is 6.6 percent.
Ft. Lauderdale - Dorsey-Riverbend Community
According to the 1990 Census, the Dorsey-Riverbend Community has the lowest median income and per capita income in the city. The Dorsey-Riverbend Community's per capita income is $6,699; the average unemployment rate is 14.3 percent; the poverty rate is 43.5 percent; the median price of a single family dwelling is $67, 200; the population is 15,293 and there are three public schools.
Gainesville - Duval Heights Neighborhood
The Duval Area Neighborhood is located in East Gainesville within close proximity to the downtown area of the city. The neighborhood currently is proposed as the city's fourth redevelopment district. According to the 1990 Census, the neighborhood is comprised of 3,973 residents; which is about five percent of the city's population. Ninety-four percent of those residents are African-Americans, with an average household size of 2.96 and a median household income of $11,807, compared to the city at 21,077. The median family income was $12,083, compared to the city at $32,321. Fifty-eight percent of all households are fifty-six percent of all families had income less than $15,000.
Miami - Riverside Community of Little Havana
According to the 1990 Census there are 16,464 residents in the Riverside community with a per capita income of $6,762. The average unemployment rate is 11.89 percent and the average poverty rate is 36.73 percent.
Opa-Locka - The Opa-Locka Front Porch Coalition
According to the 1990 Census, the population of Opa-Locka grew less than 1 percent from 1980 to its current population of 15,283. African Americans represent 69 percent of the population while 27 percent of the population is Latin American and the balances are Caucasian/Anglo.
Opa-Locka has experienced high unemployment, poverty and illiteracy rates all of which have increased dramatically since 1980. According to the 1990 Census, Opa-Locka's per capita income is $7,491; the average unemployment rate is 13.3 percent; the median income is $15, 099; nearly four out of ever five Opa-Locka households receives some form of government assistance; it is a young community with a median age of 27; 51 percent of all households with children are headed by a single parent; of those families; 61 percent of Opa-Locka's females are the head of the household and have incomes below the poverty level and 52 percent of Opa-Locka residents 18 years and older did not complete high school.
Orlando - Holden Heights Community
The Holden Heights Community is located 1.5 miles from downtown Orlando. According to the 1990 Census there are 5,380 residents in the Holden Heights Community, with a per capita income of $21,511; the average unemployment rate is 6.5 percent and the average poverty rate is 30.87 percent.
Pensacola - The Greater Pensacola Front Porch Community
According to the 1990 Census there are 12,948 residents in the Greater Pensacola Front Porch Community; the per capita income is $9,429; the average unemployment rate is 6.05 percent; the average poverty rate is 38.8 percent; there are four public schools, two of them receive "Opportunity Scholarships" and the median price of a single family dwelling is $35,512.
Sanford - Goldsboro Neighborhood
The Goldsboro Neighborhood is located on the East side of Sanford. According to the 1990 Census there are 6,500 residents in the Goldsboro community with a per capita income of $73,95; the average unemployment rate is 15 percent and he average poverty rate is 79 percent.
The Goldsboro Community was at one time an incorporated township; separate an apart from the city of Sanford. This historic independence has instilled a lineage of self- sufficiency and pride. The faith community, the school system, small businesses, local government and non-profits have historically worked along separate avenues to bring about change an improvement throughout Goldsboro.
St. Petersburg - The Greater South Central Neighborhood in St. Petersburg
There are five public schools in the GSCN community. According the 1990 Census GSCN has 10,212 residents; the per capita income is $6,699; the average unemployment rate is 11 percent and the median price of a single-family dwelling is $30,844.
Tallahassee - Greater Frenchtown Community Tallahassee
According to the 1990 Census the Frenchtown community has a population of 8,411 residents; a per capita income of $4,723; an average unemployment rate of 12.4 percent; a 49.4 percent average poverty rate for individuals; a 41.9 percent average poverty rate for families; a $34,800 median price of single family dwelling and four public schools.
Frenchtown currently has a high level of poverty and unemployment, and lacks adequate housing and safe gathering places. According to the "Statistical Digest," published by the Tallahassee-Leon County Planning Department, the percentage of school aged children (under 18) has seen a gradual decline, which correlates to the rapid drop in the percentage of elderly has consistently been greater than that for the city as a whole.
back to top
Florida Literacy Initiative
The Governor's Family Literacy Initiative is a public-private partnership that seeks to improve literacy among our state's parents and to help families understand that the home is the child's first school, the parent is the child's first teacher, and reading is the child's first subject.
The 2001 Grant recipients include:
Collier County Housing Authority (Collier)
The Collier County Housing Authority Farm worker's Village Literacy Project will expand upon a parent-child program that includes English, basic reading/writing, and family counseling services. The project will combine the use of structured classroom activities, library activities, family nights/days and in-home reading activities.
The Education Fund (Dade)
REACH, Reading Enhancement for Adults and Children, is a very unique family literacy program that includes small group tutoring for children, a book club for adults, parent -child activities and incentives, training in "reading buddy skills" for parents, and free computers for successful adults. The program will target elementary schools where approximately 60% of the students scored Level 1 on the FCAT test.
Fernside Family Services Center (Alachua)
This project will provide economically disadvantaged urban families with computer- assisted instruction to help pre-kindergarten age children learn essential pre-reading skills, enhance adult reading skills and instruct parents in effective intergenerational literacy practices.
Literacy Volunteers of America - Monroe County (Monroe)
This family literacy program is designed to assist the Literacy Volunteers of America in Monroe County to expand a currently operating family literacy program and to train more volunteers to staff the program to ensure for its continuation in upcoming years.
Literacy Volunteers of Leon County (Leon)
In concert with St. Paul's United Methodist Church the Literacy Volunteers of Leon County will use this grant to implement a full-fledged family literacy program at Ruediger Elementary School, a Title One school. Twenty-five families will be enrolled in an individualized one-on-one tutoring program for parents and children.
Manatee County Schools Foundation (Manatee)
Project FLAME will implement a family literacy program at the Oakridge Community Center located in a lower socio-economic neighborhood in which parents have expressed interest for English as Second Language program opportunities. Partners include the Manatee Literacy Council, Manatee Adult Education, local business, and local high school community clubs.
Okaloosa Academy Charter School (Okaloosa)
Okaloosa Academy Charter School in partnership with Beulah First Baptist Church will offer Okaloosa READS - a nondenominational family literacy program. The program will target children grades 3-12 who are two or more years below grade level in reading and parents who have less than a ninth grade education.
Orange Ridge-Bullock Elementary (Manatee)
Orange Ridge-Bullock Elementary is a Title One School in a semi-urban neighborhood of Bradenton. This grant would allow the school to incorporate family literacy activities including adding parenting courses into its existing adult education programs and adding intergenerational "Family Reading Nights".
West Area Adult School (Polk)
This Governor's Family Literacy grant will allow West Area Adult School to expand its existing adult literacy programs to incorporate family literacy. Daily parenting classes will be conducted by agencies that operate parenting program sin the community such as the fire department, drug prevention, Born to Read and more. Parent and Child Time during lunch will also be added to their current programs.
Annenberg Sites (all are in Broward or Dade Counties)
The English Center
The English Center will develop a family literacy program for 40-45 families. The program will incorporate several unique practices including: hosting an Open House to invite the community to understand the program; offering incentives such as books, magazines and stickers; and emphasizing technology as a way for adults and children to learn together.
Blanch Ely High School
Reading Matters will use retired teachers and other volunteers to work one-on-one with students and parents in need. Parent training will also include assistance on working with their children.
Chancellor Academies
This innovative program will target students struggling with fluency in grades K-5 and their parents. EDGE will provide weekly parent and student training in a home/school shared reading program and the instruction of the adult program will include three integrated components: Parents as Learners, Parents as Teachers and Parents as Volunteers.
Central Charter School
Central Charter School will develop a holistic approach to family literacy that will include family literacy nights at the school, a summer camp with a focus on reading, and after school tutoring for parents and children.
Charles Drew Family Resource/Teen Parent Center
The Charles Drew Family Resource Teen Parent Center in Collier City will expand services for an additional twenty families to improve literacy, parenting and job readiness skills. The program already has a waiting list of families interested in participating.
Hallandale Adult Community Center
Family Reads will focus on improving the reading levels of 100 teen parents and their children. The program will incorporate "Beginning with Mother Goose" for children and "Mommy and Me" activities for parents.
Hialeah Adult Education Center
South Hialeah Elementary School will work collaboratively with Hialeah adult education to develop a family literacy program. The program will include an intergenerational parent volunteer reading program.
Nova High School
The Literacy Collaboratory is designed to improve literacy for 100 high school students and their families. The parent component will enhance awareness and assist parents in setting literacy goals for themselves and their children.
Pine Lake Elementary School
Pine Lake Elementary's ChaT Project will work with 20 families to improve literacy and increase the direct involvement of parents in their children's school and classroom. The program will also develop family literacy/technology nights to help parents and children in this impoverished urban area to learn basic computer literacy skills.
Stranahan High School
Stranahan High school in the urban center of Ft. Lauderdale will focus on assisting students who score below the 40th percentile on standardized tests. The Family Academy will be developed in coordination with the school's two feeder schools: North Fork and New River Middle School.
Wesley Matthews Elementary School
Through the Familia Project parents and children will focus on developing their English skills through English as a Second language programs. Parent workshops, called Family Literacy Nights, will be developed to help adult students learning English as a Second Language to work with their children on their homework.
Westview Elementary
Project CARE will serve 25 families. The project includes parent training, workshops and computer classes, and a child care/home learning class for children. Family Reading Circles will be held weekly.
back to top
