Friends has operated within Palm Beach County since 1994 when the then Governor of Florida, Lawton Chiles, initiated Governors’ Councils within various counties of the State. The organization continued as the Governor’s Council for Community Health Partnerships (GCCHP) until 2013 when it became the Friends of Community Services to better reflect the expanded activities of the organization and increased needs of the local community.
During its years as the Governor’s Council for Community Health Partnerships, the organization worked with the County Health Department and multiple other community agencies, organizations and non-profit groups to develop and implement various highly successful initiatives and public/private partnerships. Some projects were short-term, targeted programs and others over the long-term have become important community programs. Among its successes are the:
- Summer Camp Scholarship Program (SCSP)*
- Palm Beach County Department of Community Services, Division of Senior Services (DOSS)*
- Governor’s Initiatives for Teens (GIFT)
- Godparent/Head Start Program
- Palm Beach County Childhood Immunization Coalition
- Med-Mobile
- Teen Pregnancy Prevention Coalition (TPPC)
- H.O.P.E. Project
- School Health Services Project
- Interfaith Health and Wellness Project
- Dental Van and
- Health Center Volunteer’s Auxiliaries Projects
Partnerships
- Community Services Department – DOSS*
- Community Services Department – Human Services
- Children’s Services Council – Palm Beach County
- Great Give – Palm Beach and Martin County
- Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners
- Youth Services Department*
- Caridad Center
- Everglades Area Health Education Center
- Florida Department of Health – Palm Beach County
- Leadership Palm Beach County
*Current partnership and/or program
