Smith-Williams Service Center
This multi-purpose facility, located in the Bond community, is designed to provide human and social services to residents of the Bond and surrounding neighborhoods. It has become a focal point of the community while providing leased space for human service agencies that offer a wide range of services to the community. The multi-purpose community service center was built as an effort to provide social services within the City of Tallahassee, specifically in the Bond Community. The Center continues to promote services in the areas of health, education, childcare, or computer technology, senior citizen services, youth and families, as well as social and cultural programs.
Services and Programs
- Computer Learning & Technology Center – This is an intergenerational learning resource center that serves as a: Technological educational resource facility, a family institute, a workforce development-training center, and an info-tainment center. It works in partnership with schools, community groups, universities, and faith-based organizations to fill the gap in the learning process between home and school. Training in work force development is also available. Call to find out the next training schedules. Your group, organization, childcare center may call 891-1837 to schedule usage of the Technology Center.
- Afterschool Enrichment Program – This program provides afterschool enrichment to students from K-8th grades. Students take full advantage of the onsite Computer Learning Center and often enjoy local field trips to varies cultural facilities such as the Challenger Learning Center and the Mary Brogan Museum. While primary emphasis are on academics, youth enjoy arts and crafts, cultural awareness, music, performing arts, and other exciting venues of personal expression. The Afterschool Enrichment Program is also in partnership with Leon County Title I to provide Compass Learning instruction to help youth in reading, math and FCAT preparedness.
- Summer Enrichment Camp – Kids from grades K-5 th enjoy a fun-filled summer at the Smith-Williams Summer Enrichment Camp! Each summer, area youth get involved in an array of educational and cultural fun activities as well as creative fieldtrips, arts and crafts, music, dance, Spanish, etc. The program begins in, June, and runs for six weeks from Monday-Friday.
- Girls Mentoring Program – For girls in middle and high schools. This six-weeks rites of passage program serves to:
- Foster knowledge among young females of the specific nature of their sexuality;
- Encourage appreciation of family-hood and the manner in which process-oriented, survival-based family roles are shaped by cultural traditions and individual circumstances;
- Enhance participants' awareness of their role in the development of their community and their friendships;
- Increase the appropriate and practical use of time, work habits, and money;
- Direct participants' interests and attitudes toward creative self-expression as a meaningful vehicle.
- Cultural Days for Senior Citizens: This monthly program is designed to foster awareness among senior citizens who may or may not have had an opportunity to travel to the various locations to view first hand the many cultures of people we live among. This program depicts various ways of life, events, celebrations, nations, etc. for seniors.
- Senior Days at Smith-Williams: The Tallahassee Senior Citizens Foundation (TSCF) and Senior Services is partnering with the Smith-Williams Community Center to provide nutrition and preventive health screenings in the Bond community. Through a one-time grant from the Attorney General's Office to the TSCF, Senior Services coordinates Nutrition Fairs, monthly Senior Days, and weekly screenings and health education. Senior Days are fun-filled lunchtime events that bring interesting speakers and relevant information to seniors and their caregivers.
- Volunteer/Intern Program: Smith-Williams Service Center encourages and recruits the participation of volunteers, interns, Americorps members, and work-study students to assist in its Afterschool Enrichment Program, Girls Mentoring Program, and Summer Enrichment Camp. Volunteers tutor in math, reading, English, spelling as well as other special group activities.
Agencies
- Elder Care Services - The Smith-Williams Service Center and Elder Care Services have formed a partnership to offer quality services to seniors of the Southside Communities. The Center is dedicated to providing quality services that meet the needs of our seniors. They enjoy participating in program as they take part in jewelry making, painting, dances, musical entertainment, arts and crafts, field trips, etc. Along with good fellowship, seniors can enjoy a good game of checkers, crossword puzzles, and even a trip to the movies.
Other Programs and Services Available at Smith-Williams
- Voting – The assembly hall in the annex of the Smith-Williams Center serves as Voter Precinct 17 for all local, state, and federal elections.
- Food distribution site – The Capital Area Community Action Agency distributes is on the 3 rd Friday of each month from 9 a.m. -12 p.m. in the Annex Building.
- Clothes Closet - Clothes are available to needy families at the Center. Call for further information.
- Free Income Tax Assistance - Free tax assistance is provided through the VISTA Program. Call for further information 891-1860.
- Fruit & Vegetable Market - Fresh fruits and vegetables are available for purchase from a local farmer.
- Facility Rental – The Center has an assembly hall with a fully equipped kitchen that is available for rental to the public. The space seats up to 150 and is available to groups and organizations during evening hours and on the weekends.