4

HSO Search and Proposal Idea

The University of Arizona Global Campus

HUM 5060 Grant Writing

Instructor: Mark Knapp

March 7, 2022

Kids In Distress Inc. (KID) is a human service organization established in 1979 by community volunteers and a junior league known as the Greater Fort Lauderdale. The organization is nationally accredited for its dedication to preventing child abuse, preserving families, and treating children that have been neglected and abused. Since its establishment, the organization has created a shelter for neglected and abused children as its mission is to eradicate child abuse and neglect. The facility currently owns a five-acre multiple program campus in Greater Fort Lauderdale and a 4-acre campus in Southwest Ranches to attain its mission. In these facilities, the organization offers various services, for instance, individual, family, and group therapy and counseling, preschool, and aftercare and summer camp programs. Other services are recruitment, training, support of foster/adoptive homes, prevention, reunification, family preservation, and maternal and child health services (Home, n.d)..

Kids In Distress organization has been of great assistance to community members since it has helped reduce the number of neglected and abused children since its establishment. Over the years, more children and families have benefited through sheltering and offering guidance and counseling services, among many other services, to the beneficiaries for free. However, in recent times, the facilities owned by the organization have been overstretched by the increasing number of people in need. To remain committed to the organization's mission and purpose, it is essential to expand its services by developing available infrastructure. It calls for an extra piece of land and necessary structures. However, the fact that the organization offers free services means it is not financially capable of buying the land and constructing the buildings. For this reason, a grant is required to support this excellent community project. With the grant proposal, the organization shall invest in the "Homelessness and Housing Services where it shall offer permanent supportive housing; transitional housing; emergency shelter; supportive services" to the children and families in need.

The people of Fort Lauderdale have a population of approximately 185,000, and the area has been receiving a relatively high number of visitors from far and near distances. The fact that the organization offers free services attracts people from other countries suffering from child abuse and neglect challenges. The expansion program would benefit people from the local communities within the county and the entire Miami metropolitan area, with a total population of approximately 6,166,488.

Protected children and families mean a safe and better community because families generate future leaders and society. Therefore, with the help that the KIDs organization offers, the community would be improved since vulnerable children would be provided shelter to grow healthy and be supported to achieve their dreams. Parents could be counseled on how to bring up children better, making the world a better place for all people irrespective of their age.

The one thing the organization can do is extend the services to as many people, families, and children as possible indiscriminately. However, this is through the organization's diverse professional services, which is a significant step in winning a grant (O'Neal-McElrath, 2013). To make this possible, the organization would require making quality use of grants issued and other resources at the organization's disposal.

It is possible to know if the organization's program and services have succeeded from the number of people who would get served and its expansion after receiving the grant. KIDs organization is a renowned facility from the solid networks and maintained over the years. It means any advancement is easily recognized, which means its success cannot be hidden (Grantcraft. 2008). Moreover, the government has systems through which organizations that have qualified for grants are listed with a clear message that the program has succeeded.

.

References

Grantcraft. (2008). Reaching Beyond the Usual Networks. Retrieved from

Home. (n.d.). Kids in Distress. https://www.kidinc.org/

O'Neal-McElrath, T. (2013).  (4th ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. ISBN: ISBN: 978-1-118-37834-2