We voted to invest in Escambia's children. See how it's paying off

An academically-struggling third grader in danger of being held back learns not only how to read but develops a love of reading.

An 8-year-old Cantonment girl who enjoys singing will perform with a choir on the Saenger Theatre stage this holiday season.

A mother no longer has to leave work for an hour each afternoon to shuttle her two daughters to afterschool care. The girls are enrolled in a free tutoring and mentoring program that picks them up from their schools.

These are only a few of the impactful programs made possible by funding from the Escambia Children's Trust .

Approved in 2020 with 61% voter support, the Children's Trust was built to give Escambia County children a better quality of life by pouring resources, attention and funding into the gaps that schools, nonprofits, hospitals and government institutions aren't reaching.

Overall, the Children's Trust so far has awarded $29.3 million in funding to 38 providers, with focus on initiatives like out-of-school programs, mental health services and programs supporting early childhood systems.

Stewards of taxpayer dollars

And though the Children's Trust has faced some challenges since its inception, ECT Executive Director Lindsey Cannon counts far more wins than losses—noting the organization has made strong progress toward fulfilling its mission.

"We take very seriously our responsibility as stewards of taxpayer dollars. Our mission—to work collaboratively to improve the lives of children in Escambia County—is backed by data-driven investments, transparency and ongoing evaluation," she said.

"We established clear areas of focus (health, school readiness, safety, youth development) based on a community needs assessment. Moreover, in our first full years of operation, we have awarded and committed tens of millions in funding to local providers, built partnerships across sectors and are measuring outcomes rigorously."

Escambia Children's Trust: With 5,000 kids served, Escambia Children's Trust is 'absolutely' making a difference

The Children's Trust has faced scrutiny over the past few years, and there has been talk of putting it back on the ballo t for Escambia County voters to decide. However, Cannon said the organization takes it role very seriously and knows it is accountable to taxpayers.

"Our board meets regularly, and we produce annual reports and impact reports so the public can see what's being done, how funds are spent, and what results we're achieving. Of course, 'fully living up' is a moving target—as needs evolve and new challenges arise, we continue to refine our strategy and grow," she said.

Over the next nine days, the Pensacola News Journal will take a look at nine of the Children's Trust's original providers, sharing the programs' goals and successes, and speaking with the organizers, parents and children.

The providers and the dates to be spotlighted are:

• Dec. 29:YMCA of Northwest Florida's Y Reads!

• Dec. 30: CMB Visions Unlimited

• Dec. 31:Boys and Girls Club's "Great Futures in Escambia County"

• Jan. 2:Children's Home Society SAIL Academy at C.A. Weis Elementary

• Jan. 4: Chain Reaction

• Jan. 5:Dixon School of the Arts and Sciences Dixon After Dark

• Jan. 6:Pensacola Children's Chorus Pensacola Sings

• Jan. 7: SALT – Sisters Anointed to Lead Together ministry

• Jan. 8: James B. Washington Education and Sports

Those providers who've gone through the rigorous qualification and accounting processes can attest to the deep vetting their programs go through to ensure taxpayer money is well spent.

Kristin Fairchild, founder and executive director of Chain Reaction—an afterschool program that works with at-risk teens at Pensacola High and Pine Forest High schools, praises the Children's Trust and its mission.

"Under Lindsey Cannon's leadership, the trust has done exactly what we hoped. For more than 20 years, Chain Reaction helped traditional students from stable backgrounds practice responsibility and leadership through service. Children's Trust funding has allowed us to bring that same opportunity to students who needed it most," she said.

"In the third year of our grant, I can confidently say it worked. Thank you for trusting us with your taxpayer dollars. When we were campaigning to start the trust, the goal was to fill critical gaps in services. Nonprofits across our community were watching kids fall through the cracks—needing tutoring, food or guidance—and there just wasn't services available to help."

Support future generations

Kayla Dugas, whose daughter, Nova, is in the Pensacola Children's Chorus Pensacola Sings program, appreciates the Children's Trust's support.

"There's not a lot for children to do here if they're involved in the arts, but I'm thankful for the Escambia Children's Trust investing in Pensacola Sings. It's a wonderful investment of taxpayer dollars that are being used to support the dreams of future generations," she said.

YMCA of Northwest Florida CEO Michael Bodenhausen, said programs funded by the Children's Trust are instrumental to not only the children but all of Escambia County. The YMCA provides the Y Reads! program to academically struggling kindergarten through fourth-graders in the Escambia County Public School district.

"In the state of Florida, right now, the reading proficiency level is 57%. In Escambia County, it's 51%. So, it's extremely important for the YMCA to be involved in making sure the kids in this community get every opportunity they can to become reading proficient by third grade," Bodenhausen said. "If they're not, by the time these kids are in 10th grade, there is only a 1% increase in reading proficiency. That's what the data shows. If we don't teach our kids to read, statistically, it becomes very, very devastating."

Bodenhausen added that the future of Escambia County and Florida depends on addressing the third-grade reading proficiency issue.

"When we speak about economic development, companies and industries want to move into areas and communities with good education systems in place," he said.

One of the most lauded benefits Cannon has experienced comes from parents who are grateful their children now have access to high-quality afterschool activities that they couldn't otherwise afford.

"Parents of younger children have shared that programs funded by the Trust helped their kids in kindergarten readiness, improved social skills and boosted confidence," she said. "For parents whose children receive mental health support, the feedback is often about relief. We hear, 'My child finally has someone to talk to' and 'We feel supported.'"

Escambia Children's Trust's strategic plan

The Children's Trust does have a 2024-2027 Strategic Plan with key goals that include:

• Accessby ensuring that investments reach children across all neighborhoods—especially underserved communities—and removing systemic barriers.

• High-Quality Outcomesby continuing to fund and support programs tied to measurable outcomes to close opportunity gaps for children in Escambia County.

• Continuous Learning and Improvementby strengthening the organization's evaluation, data collection and feedback loops, and using lessons learned to adapt programming.

• Operational Excellenceby building organizational capacity, increasing efficiency and ensuring sustainable growth.

• Public Engagement and Advocacyby building a strong community narrative, engaging parents, youth and civic leaders, and advocating for policies that support children's well-being.

• Coordination and Conveningby acting as a convener to bring together providers, public agencies, parents and community groups to optimize resources and reduce duplication.

Some parents have asked for more transportation options and greater communication about how programs connect to long-term goals—those are issues being considered, Cannon said.

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Escambia Children's Trust program profiles YMCA, Dixon , CHS