In July, Monroe County’s Human Services Advisory Board (HSAB) learned that the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) was poised to implement a 50% cut to HSAB funding. This funding represents essential support to more than two dozen local nonprofit agencies that deliver vital services throughout the Keys, including children’s dentistry, women’s health, prenatal care, chronic disease management, food pantries, child protective services, abuse and homeless shelters, and services for families in crisis, veterans, seniors and people with developmental disabilities.
At a recent BOCC meeting, commissioner David Rice proposed a smaller cut of 25%, but the motion was not seconded. The issue will return for a vote at the meeting scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 3 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Harvey Government Center in Key West.
HSAB-Funded Essential Services, a coalition of numerous Monroe County nonprofit agencies, is now urging the public to contact the BOCC and advocate on behalf of HSAB funding, with a reduction of no more than Rice’s proposed 25% cut, stressing that nonprofits should not be considered supplemental to Monroe County’s public health system, but recognized as integral to it.
“A 50% cut would mean the collapse of many of these vital nonprofits,” said Billy Davis, founder and executive director of A Positive Step of Monroe County, a nonprofit that has served at-risk youth and families since 1999. “Most agencies could adapt to a 25% cut, but 50% is unsustainable.”
According to coalition materials, the originally-proposed 50% reduction would result in significant dismantling of social services, layoffs and the loss of over $2 million in matching state and federal funds. Without these services, the county faces higher long-term costs in emergency care, homelessness and preventable crises.
The coalition underscores that during emergencies such as hurricanes and the COVID pandemic, nonprofits have been among the first to take action and the last to leave, coordinating food, shelter, mental health support and medical care for residents, often in partnership with city and county agencies. Without them, Monroe County’s disaster readiness and response capacity would be severely weakened.
The coalition also emphasizes that in geographically-isolated and resource-limited areas like the Florida Keys, nonprofits and their services cannot be easily replaced by government systems, as local nonprofits fill critical gaps in care by leveraging federal and state dollars, private grants, philanthropic contributions and volunteer support. They often match or multiply local taxpayer investments, making them one of the most cost-effective tools for addressing public health and safety.
Organizations supported by HSAB funding play a crucial role in Monroe County’s health care infrastructure, especially for low- and moderate-income families, the uninsured and Medicaid recipients.
Some of the nonprofits whose programs are supported by HSAB funding include A.H. of Monroe, Florida Keys Healthy Start Coalition, Rural Health Network of Monroe County, Womankind, Domestic Abuse Shelter Florida Keys, Florida Keys Children’s Shelter, Monroe Association for ReMARCable Citizens, Samuel’s House, Star of the Sea Foundation, Wesley House Family Services, Literacy Volunteers and Special Olympics of Florida.
One HSAB-funded nonprofit, the Florida Keys Area Health Education Centers (Keys AHEC), reported that in the 2024-2025 school year, it provided more than 10,000 visits and 45,000 medical and dental services to area children.
Residents are urged to voice their concerns and advocate for the preservation of HSAB funding by contacting their district commissioners and county administrators. A sample email letter and direct action link are available by scanning the QR code:
QR LINK: https://actionnetwork.org/letters/support-county-funding-for-local-non-profits
Or, email your district representatives directly:
District 1: Craig Cates – boccdis1@monroecounty-fl.gov
District 2: Michelle Lincoln – boccdis2@monroecounty-fl.gov
District 3: Jim Scholl – boccdis3@monroecounty-fl.gov
District 4: David Rice – boccdis4@monroecounty-fl.gov
District 5: Holly Merrill Raschein – boccdis5@monroecounty-fl.gov
County Administrator: Christine Hurley – Hurley-Christine@monroecounty-fl.gov
Assistant Administrator: Tina Boan – boan-tina@monroecounty-fl.gov
Sincerely,
The HSAB-Funded Essential Services of Monroe County
