CEO Leadership Program Grant Awarded

ECHO IS AWARDED GRANT FROM THE CHILDREN'S BOARD OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY

The Children's Board of Hillsborough County awards $1000 grant to the Emergency Care Help Organization to improve organizational leadership.


BRANDON, FL –Each year, ECHO currently serves more than 10,000 individuals in need in the Greater Brandon area, half of which are children, with emergency food, clothing and household items.    With only two full-time employees and over one hundred weekly volunteers, ECHO has been able to manage the case load since 1987, however a 44% increase in demand starting in 2005 has forced the Board to seek strategic ways to improve and streamline operations.

In the first quarter of 2010, ECHO applied for the Technical Assistance Fund for Leadership Training grant and was approved by the Children's Board of Hillsborough County in May 2010.  The grant would allow for the Executive Director of ECHO and key members of its board to participate in a CEO Leadership Program.  It is a year-long program that meets as a group once a month, followed by one-on-one training sessions designed to teach and expand all the skills necessary to run a successful non-profit organization.

The Leadership Training Program uses a peer group model during several of its sessions, allowing ECHO to have direct interaction with CEO's from over twenty other non-profit agencies and to learn best practices from similar organizations.  Some of the following positive results have stemmed from the training program grant:

• Increased focus on collaboration with other agencies to coordinate services, potentially leading to the expansion of ECHO's programs
• Collaboration and formation of Social Enterprise Alliance in Tampa Bay area
• Improved relations with strategic partners such as Feeding America and Metropolitan Ministries
• Improved Board Meeting structure to focus primarily on strategy

ECHO has always relied on the generosity and philanthropy of the Tampa Bay community to support East Hillsborough's families in their time of need.  As the demand increases in the area, we are extremely grateful to the Children's Board of Hillsborough County for awarding this grant to improve ECHO's operations to sustain our growth.

About the Children's Board of Hillsborough County: The Children’s Board of Hillsborough County serves as the leading voice and advocate for children and families in our community. The board is the only organization of its kind in Hillsborough County that generates revenue to help children and families. The Children’s Board is recognized nationally for its contributions to best practices in policies and programs aiding children and families. Citizens may visit www.childrensboard.org to learn more about the board’s programs.

About ECHO: The Emergency Care Help Organization provides immediate relief in the forms of food, clothing and household items to those residents of the greater Brandon area that have experienced a recent emergency. Since its inception in 1987, ECHO has assisted over 109,000 individuals, over half of whom were children, with the basic life necessities. When families experience an unexpected emergency they are often faced with the decision paying the bills or buying food for their families.  For more information, please visit www.echofl.org.

Press Release: ECHO Is Awarded Grant from the Children's Board of Hillsborough County