Ian impacted the youngest in our community
by Angie Matthiessen, Executive Director – United Way of Charlotte County
First a global pandemic and then a natural disaster. We have all experienced repeated shifts in what we consider normal in recent years. I have to wonder, though, how much more these shifts are affecting our children.
For many, this may not be the first time they have piled into Mom or Dad’s car to go somewhere to pick up free meals and other resources. This may not be the first time they have experienced their parents or caregivers carrying a little more stress than usual, talking about finances a little more than usual and being home from work a little (or a lot) more than usual. And, unless they are very young, this isn’t the first time they have been unable to attend school for a prolonged period of time.
It is often said that children are resilient. But when we hear about behavioral changes in our children following a traumatic situation, I have to wonder how true that statement is.
And regardless of how resilient they might be, they shouldn’t have to be.
I spoke with Lynn Dorler, Executive Director of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Charlotte County, and Kristen Szych, Executive Director of the Franz Ross YMCA, about how to best support our children.
“The kids need mentors,” Lynn Dorler stated. “People to help them cope with two and a half years of educational disruption.” Dorler noted that children impacted by Hurricane Ian will need tangible items like clothes, school supplies and food, but he added, “Mentors will make the biggest impact.”
The Boys & Girls Clubs’ Englewood location received immeasurable damage from the storm, making the reopening of the Port Charlotte location, at the Family Services Center, even more important. The goal is to have the Family Services Center location open in the coming week to serve children from Port Charlotte, Englewood and Punta Gorda.
The YMCA of Southwest Florida has been open to the community for showers and charging stations, as well as hot meals in partnership with Operation BBQ Relief. In addition to these offerings, Kristen Szych is excited to begin offering school age care on Monday.
School age care will be available at the YMCA of Southwest Florida’s Cooper Street location and at Franz Ross from 7 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Children will be provided lunch, afternoon snack and dinner. Scholarships are available.
Szych agreed with Dorler’s sentiments about the needs of Charlotte County children, stating, “Children and families will need support and mentors.” Szych added that in addition to educational support, emotional and trauma support is crucial.
As schools are not yet ready to reopen, the youngest residents of Charlotte County are left in state of limbo that must be extremely confusing for them. They may not have the understanding or the words to be able to express their mixed emotions and frustrations, but we need to know that those feelings are there.
During a strategic planning session earlier this year, a group of educational professionals felt strongly that the success of Charlotte County children, educationally and otherwise, was not meant to fall on the shoulders of any one person or entity. The group agreed that it isn’t solely the school district’s role to set our children up for success. It isn’t solely up to parents and caregivers either. We agreed that they’re all our kids. Their success is our success, as a county, as a community.
For our even younger children, Anne Bouhebent, Executive Director of the Early Learning Coalition of Florida’s Heartland informed me that eight childcare sites in Charlotte County are closed indefinitely, leaving many families without essential childcare.
To begin addressing the trauma that children in our community are experiencing, Bouhebent encouraged parents to work towards getting back into daily routines, as, “young children thrive on a predictable schedule.”
As our nonprofit partners identify needs for the families they serve, we will promote these needs on our website: www.unitedwayccfl.org and on our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/UWCCFL. As you can give help to these families, know that you are also giving HOPE in a time when it is needed more than ever.
For more information about United Way of Charlotte County’s mission: Mobilizing the power of our community to break the cycle of poverty, please contact Angie Matthiessen, Executive Director. She can be reached at director@unitedwayccfl.org.