Event
Past Event: Prodigy Showcase Virtual
When: Friday July 31st 4-6pm
Time: 10AM-1PM
Where: Facebook Live
Scott Schneider
July 27, 2020
No Comments
Our Programs
Afterschool4Success
Our home-grown mentoring program that builds STEAM, improves grades and prevents youth (7-17) from getting involved in risky behaviors
HIV/AIDS Education, Counseling, and Testing
Through of Florida Department of Health License, we provide free RAPID HIV testing and services, FREE
YouCount Census
An accurate census helps ensure you have a voice at all levels of government. Through a grant with the Tau Foundation, FICS seeks to educate and inform the community to ensure YouCount!
Partners in Wellness
FICS programming has been strategically focused on responding to identified community needs and an overall request to assist in creating more wellness, opportunities and positive outcomes at the individual, family, peer/school and community levels
Volunteer Program: Mentoring and Tutoring
Through out volunteers and partnerships we provide on-site tutoring and mentoring free of charge. We have a site license for youth to access MobyMax.com for FREE
Research, Planning, and evaluation
Our staff have expertise in qualitative and quantitative research, from design to data collection to analysis and reporting. Available in English and Spanish.
Prodigy
We offer youth FREE arts/crafts and theater classes through our contract with UACDC for Prodigy Cultural Arts! Currently we have art and dance! Stay tuned for more!
All Things Culture & Straz Partnership
We are bridging the gap between arts, art education, and our communities with partners at the Straz and Arts Council! Learn more by visiting our website!
Our Mission
To PARTNER with communities across Florida to help them achieve their goals through research, education, training, services and the arts. FICS believes that communities know their strengths and gaps better than anyone else. We work to build on the strengths to close gaps through active partnerships.
News
Press Release
FICS Announces Grant From The Community Foundation of Tampa Bay
The Florida Institute for Community Studies (FICS) is pleased to announce a grant from the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay, an organization focused on making a positive impact on the Tampa Bay region.
Scott Schneider
July 20, 2020
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Event
#BLM Sign Waving
Our #Summer4Success youth are multicultural and resilient. They have learned that they need to express their voices to make change….they watch the news and yet, they know that their elders have to work and prioritize their survival. They decided to start using their voices publicly-and we have to be careful due to heat indexes off the charts
Scott Schneider
June 28, 2020
No Comments
Operations
3-21 Update
FICS will be closed on Monday 3/23/2020 for deep cleaning of our facility. We will also be assessing our plan going forward.
Scott Schneider
March 22, 2020
No Comments
Operations
FICS COVID-19 Update
Given the huge spike overnight in COVID19 cases in our area, FICS is going to turn this CELEBRATION into a FUNDRAISER to help our families! At this moment, we intend to stay open this week as planned, feed our kids and families and run SpringBreak4Success without interruption.
Scott Schneider
March 15, 2020
No Comments
Operations
FICS Statement on Coronavirus
The coronavirus or CoVid-19 is a very dangerous infection that has no cure or vaccine at present. FICS is committed to keeping our community and families safe, and for that reason we are following the World Health Organization’s recommendations (https://www.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus). Our goal is to maintain a calm approach towards the pandemic and PREVENT this disease, which can be life-threatening.
Scott Schneider
March 13, 2020
No Comments
Upcoming Events
Check Back Soon!
Our Impact
FICS works at the community level to identify gaps and strengths. Through our community advisers, we use those strengths to write plans and create effective programs that build resilience and keep youth out of gangs, help make people healthier, and HIV and Substance free. Our reach extends to thousands of people per year, and we have documented significant improvements in teen pregnancy reduction, violence prevention, improved community responsibility and reduced dependence on law enforcement, prisons, and healthcare systems. We estimate a conservative savings to our community of $4.89 for every dollar spent on after school programs, meaning we have saved the community $1.5 million for youth. In terms of diabetics’ outcomes, we have documented a cost-savings of $782,811 per year.
Transparency is a focus of the Florida Institute for Community Studies. We proudly provide financial information to GuideStar. Because of our transparency, we have earned GuideStar’s Gold Participant status.
Where do we spend our money?
Program Expenses
67%
Administrative Cost (Rent, Office Supplies, printing, etc.)
18%
Misc. Expenses
15%
Based on 2018 financial reports. FICS exceeds in the industry standards in ensuring grants donations go to our programs; not marketing or executive salaries.
Our Facility
FICS is located at Morgan Woods Park in Town n’ Country, Florida. Our facility includes the following:
- Safe, fenced in outside recreation area
- Outdoor covered patio
- Sperate adult/youth restrooms
- 21st Century Computer Lab
- Flexible Seating Arrangements
- Large Classoom
- Imagination Playground
- Gun-Free Zone
Planning a Visit?
FICS In the News!
- Tampa Bay Times 11/22/2020
- Washington Post
- NBC News
- Tampa Bay Times 08/24/20
- Tampa Bay Times 09/24/20
- Spectrum Bay News 9 08/19/19
- Tampa Bay Times 08/04/2016
- Tampa Bay Times 02/24/2018
- Tampa Bay Times 04/24/2019 (Column written by FICS Executive Director Dr. Alayne Unterberger PhD)
FICS was seen on ABC Nightly News. In the image, Jordon Montaez, 13, left, and Mariana Soto, 10, participate in e-learning Monday at the Florida Institute for Community Studies while director Alayne Unterberger talks with Soto’s teacher to troubleshoot issues on the first day of school for Hillsborough County in Tampa. (Ivy Ceballo/Tampa Bay Times/AP)
Email: alayneu@ficsinc.org
Education:
- PhD Medical Anthropology, University of Florida
- MA Anthropology, University of South Florida
- BA, International Relations and Spanish, Juniata College
Other Professional Activities:
- Adjunct Professor of Public Health, University of South Florida
- Adjunct Professor of Anthropology, Hillsborough Community College
Alayne is a co-founder of FICS, which grew out of a series of initiatives with community leaders, students, professors and activists from across the state. She is passionate about FICS’ motto: CARE. It stands for Community, Activism, Research and Education. These four pillars emerged from community participatory research and reflect our belief that communities know their strengths and needs best. We work to develop community voices to advocate for solutions that create the conditions for success.
Meet our Board Chairman
Mr. Carlton Lewis
Chairman of the Board
Education: Bachelor of Arts, Human Resource Management, Saint Leo University
Awards and Honors:
- Upper Tampa Bay Regional Chamber of Commerce, Citizen of the Year 2005
- Hillsborough County, Florida Citizenship Award 2004
- Hillsborough County of Children Services Citizenship Award 2003
- Hillsborough County Moral Courage Award, Timberlane Crime Watch 1993
- Honor Graduate, Cum Laude, Saint Leo College, Delta Epsilon Sigma 1993
- Veteran of 20 years United States Army, Military Intelligence, 1991
Volunteer With FICS
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