PORT ST. LUCIE PEOPLE
and read a book. Statistics show that in middle- to higherincome
neighborhoods, there are 13 books or magazines for
every child, whereas in poorer areas, there is one book or
magazine for every 300 children.
“If they take books home (from the Little Libraries),” Boyle
said, “that is OK. We restock them with donated books that
we receive.”
The CSC works with the New York Mets to host events
designed to get books into the hands of children. In April, the
CSC sponsored the Early Learning Coalition’s 12th annual
Family Fun Fair. At this year’s event, the St. Lucie County
Sheriff’s Department provided a K-9 demonstration and
Curious George and the Black Panther were there for photo
opportunities. Every Tuesday, the Fort Pierce Police Department
sponsors a program for children at First Step Park in
Fort Pierce. Once a month CSC staffers set up reading circles
for the children who attend.
“We do anything we can to try to get books into the hands
of kids,” Boyle said.
A multigenerational Hoosier, Boyle moved to Elkhart,
Indiana, after graduation from the Indiana University in
Bloomington. It was in Elkhart that he met his wife and began
his career in social service. He was 21 years old and took a job
with the Indiana Department of Children and Families, working
with victims of child abuse and neglect. He worked there
for two years before becoming an enrollment counselor for
incoming freshmen at National Louis University in Chicago.
Eventually, he began counseling mostly adult graduate
students. Boyle liked the work so much, he enrolled in a
master’s degree program that focused on adult education.
The next stop on his career track was working with an Illinois
agency that provided quality assurance checks on foster
homes, group homes and therapy programs. Their audits
would look to where training for employees was needed.
All of this experience was helpful once Boyle began working
at CSC. He said the council has trained about 1,000 people
on grant-writing. The CSC is a member of the Roundtable
of St. Lucie County, a group of leaders who work together to
accomplish system change that results in improved outcomes
for youth. Boyle added that the council provides the funding
for the the Roundtable’s Kids at Hope program in county
schools.
“We have three customers,” Boyle explained, “the children
of the families we serve, the programs we fund and the
taxpayers of St. Lucie County, as it is their resources we are
using to fund these agencies.”
Boyle and his staff are responsible for monitoring the accountability
48 Port St. Lucie Magazine
of these programs to ensure they are making
wise decisions financially. They also make sure the programs
are following their proposals and serving the county’s population.
“We have a great team here,” Boyle said, “and a great
board of directors. Everybody has a unique talent and a passion
for the children of St. Lucie County.”
Boyle and Ashley Mock, the council’s director of community
engagement, host a weekly radio show on children’s
Five high school students participating in a council-sponsored program received Outstanding Youth Awards at the council’s annual awards dinner in May.
From left are, Boyle, Yaluris Torres of Fort Pierce Westwood, Kaylee Batten of PACE, Andrew Priest of Lincoln Park Academy, Jeida Cotto of PACE, Naima
Dore of PACE and Ashley Mock, director of community engagement for the council.
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