SMUUF donates to child protective board

San Marcos Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (SMUUF) received online and snail-mailed donations 

to the Hays County Child Protective Board during and after a recent Sunday morning virtual Worship Service on Zoom.  A SMUUF check for $500 was mailed to the Board.  Jeannie Lewis, SMUUF Social Justice Chair, said, “Once a month SMUUF donates to a local non-profit whose work aligns with our UU religious values.  The Child Protective Board is a favorite recipient of SMUUF for our Donate-the-Plate collection over the years.”

The Board consists of up to fifteen volunteers appointed by the Hays County Commissioners Court. They support and enhance services to abused and neglected children who are Child Protective Services (CPS) clients. That includes both children in CPS care and children in families under investigation. 

June Hankins, the Board Secretary, and Karen Brown, Founding Board Member, were present at the Zoom Sunday service to tell SMUUF about some of the services the Board provides, such as advocating for, preparing, monitoring, and administering the budget allotted to them by the Commissioners Court and any donations they receive, interpreting the role of the Child Protective Services staff to citizens and the Court, influencing legislation and policy related to Child Protective Services through networking and advocacy, and many other responsibilities.

The Board uses almost all of their operating budget, including donations, to fill some of the gaps where the state falters in meeting these children’s needs.  Some of these include emergency clothing allowance, summer school tuition, emergency shelter, emergency physical abuse examinations, and many other needs. 

The Board provides these resources on an emergency, as-needed basis to supplement resources provided by the state.  They meet basic survival needs and sometimes offer opportunities for CPS children to live enriched lives.  

June Hankins said, “The needs of children and families are especially acute this spring. In May, we received 28 funding requests, although we usually receive fewer than 20, and 7 of these requests mentioned hardships related to the COVID-19 pandemic: laid-off parents who were in danger of losing their homes or unable to buy summer clothing for their children.”

Hankins continued, “In addition to providing emergency clothing and medical care that the State doesn’t cover, we are helping families to afford city day camps for summer child care. We recently had the joy of approving funds for gymnastics camp for one child and a bike and helmet for another.” 

Hankins also said, “Donations like SMUUF’s have helped us to afford some extras that make these vulnerable neglected and abused children’s lives a little more like the lives of other children.”

For more information about the San Marcos Unitarian Universalist Fellowship go to www.smuuf.org or contact Jeannie Lewis at jeannie@centurytel.net or 512-353-2872.

Submitted by San Marcos Unitarian Universalist Fellowship