CHS Blog
Vaccination is one of the most effective ways to prevent diseases and keep your family safe. But in recent years, myths and misinformation have created vaccine hesitancy – both delaying vaccinations and leading families to skip them all together. In fact, about 1 in 5 parents is considered “vaccine hesitant.” Vaccine hesitancy and misinformation can […]
When Escambia County families found themselves facing new financial burdens due by the pandemic, the school district responded by placing “navigators” in its public schools. The navigators have acted like social workers, providing or connecting students and parents to resources such as food, clothing, government assistance and health care. The navigators have had their work cut out for them. Between […]
“So what does the Community Partnership program do here at our school?” Bethany Groves, principal of Webster Elementary School, prompted a class of third-graders on Tuesday afternoon. “Gives us socks and shoes,” answered one boy. “We get food,” another student said. “Clothes,” one girl volunteered. Webster Elementary School and South Woods Elementary School have both […]
It’s not a top headline or the latest public outrage. It’s a quiet crisis, but one that affects not only the quality of life for kids who enter the foster care system, but also the economic outlook for the entire state. Florida’s child welfare system is understaffed and overwhelmed. Imagine if your local police or […]
Sad but true: Poverty is a reality far too many families face. Before children in poverty even step foot in a classroom, most are already playing catch-up. Too many begin kindergarten not ready for school and, by the time they reach fourth grade, 50% of those children will not be reading at grade level. Sadly, […]
Not far from bustling downtown Tampa and just west of University of South Florida, there is a transformative movement happening — one that is changing lives, strengthening families and rarely getting the attention it deserves. In Hillsborough, a county where 12 percent of the population lives in poverty, a startling 30.4 percent are at or […]
“Counseling has helped me a lot. Its like all the rainy cloud above my head disappeared and its all sunshine now.” Sadie, a senior at one of our community partnership schools, was struggling so much in class that she was risking graduation. Her anxiety – primarily rooted in strained family relationships – was on overdrive […]
Different cultures believe the sunflower is a symbol of anything from positivity and strength to admiration and loyalty. Jennifer Stenger, a Case Manager with Children’s Home Society of Florida, recently shared how sunflowers became a symbol of connection, commitment and success in her work to serve children. “When I met Amie*, she would not speak […]
“Healthy Families has helped me a lot — with information, diapers, things for my baby — it also helped me emotionally,” shares Serena, a mother of three. Serena was deep in financial stress and felt alone with no one to turn to. She wanted to provide the best for her children, but she struggled to […]
“I am a big advocate of mentoring because I grew up in the same populations I now serve. I know their struggle and can honestly say without my mentor, my life could have been completely different” – Joshua Sharpe, Expanded Learning Coordinator, Community Mentor serving Eccleston Elementary Studies show mentoring promotes positive self-esteem and encourages […]
The COVID pandemic brought struggles and a sense of helplessness to many individuals and families, including the Blackburn family. Terrance, a single father of three, felt alone and struggled to provide the support and encouragement that his children needed. His children each faced their own challenges – inability to connect with people, coping with the […]
“The [Simply Amazing] art boxes bring so much joy to children. It’s a great way to have parents bond with their children and also helps them work on developmental milestones along the way,” a CHS Healthy Families team member shares. “It’s fantastic to be able to provide all the materials a family needs to work […]
Children’s Home Society of Florida awarded Manatee Community Foundation Grant Funds to support The Community Partnership Schools™ model at Manatee Elementary BRADENTON, FLA. (December 15, 2021) — Children’s Home Society of Florida was awarded a $20,436 grant on behalf of the Conrad and Ruth Ann Szymanski Fund of Manatee Community Foundation to support the Community […]
“I feel most proud of myself that I’m doing better in school,” LeighAnn, a fourth grade mentee explains. “I was shy without Ms. Connie and when someone would talk to me, I was quiet, but now I’m more confident talking to anyone.” LeighAnn and her mentor Connie are inseparable and even describe themselves as “peanut […]
Over the past ten years, through a long-standing relationship with Children’s Home Society of Florida (CHS), CFL Pizza has raised more than $900,000 for children and families in Central Florida. CFL Pizza, LLC of Celebration Restaurant Group, owns and operates 101 Pizza Hut stores within Central Florida, and each store dedicates some of their time […]
