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CHS Blog

Impact in Action

From uplifting family journeys to innovative community partnerships, our blog highlights the progress, purpose, and people powering our mission.

Velkies | Finding Community, Finding Hope.

In 2019, Velkies moved to the Florida panhandle with her husband and two children with a baby on the way. With her husband at work all day, Velkies found herself feeling isolated in her new home. She didn’t speak English, but was determined to overcome language barriers to see her children succeed. Velkies found Children’s […]

Baby Safety Awareness Month: Know How Baby Grows

One of the greatest joys of parenthood is watching your baby grow, play and learn, but it’s natural to wonder if your baby is on track with their development. September is national Baby Safety Awareness Month — the perfect time to remind families that recognizing baby’s key milestones can play a key role in keeping […]

WFSU Public Media: Community Partnership Schools

Three years ago, Leon County’s Sabal Palm Elementary School became the area’s first Community Partnership School. Under that designation, long-term partners provide a multitude of ancillary services so that a school’s teachers and administrators can focus their efforts on education. To talk about how that concept has been working at Sabal Palm are: School Principal […]

‘Curls for Queens’: Hair care donations to benefit young girls

 click the image below to view the full story on WCTV.tv “Hair is our glory,” said Community School Wellness Coordinator, Makayla Fedd. Thursday, she stopped by the A Plus Everything beauty supply store to check on donations for the Curls for Queens hair drive. Fedd works at Sabal Palm Elementary School helping to address student […]

Back to School

5 Tips for a Successful Start to the School Year

With the start of the school year quickly approaching, we want parents and students to feel prepared and ready to start off on the right foot. From getting a nutritious breakfast to managing back-to-school anxiety, we’ve got a few quick tips to help kick off the new school year on a positive note. 5 Back-to-School […]

Keep your family safe this July 4

Independence Day is a time for family, cookouts, laughter and fireworks. Quite simply, it’s a day dedicated to celebrating the joy of summer. As you break out the sparklers and hotdogs, keep these tips in mind to keep your family and friends safe this July 4. Obey the law Rules and regulations vary by county, […]

Providing a light when families need it most: Wraparound (WRAP)

Tina, a 26-year-old single mother of five, was in the depths of despair, looking for a light to help guide her and her children to a better place after facing setback after setback. Fortunately, Tina found hope, support and guidance through Children’s Home Society of Florida’s Wraparound (WRAP) program. After spending her childhood in the […]

Celebrating the Father Figures in our lives on Father’s Day!

[ext-video type=”vimeo” url=”https://vimeo.com/564663886″] “I am blessed to be in the program [Healthy Families]. They saved my family and my life. If it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t be with my son or have my family right now.” In honor of Father’s Day, we’re celebrating the fathers and father figures in our lives. From being a […]

Accessible Mental Health Counseling for Kids | River City Live

Though Mental Health Awareness Month ended in May, the conversations should never stop. Children’s Home Society of Florida (CHS), a national leader in trauma-informed care, has been serving children and families in this community since their founding in 1902. CHS counselors help kids, teens, families and individuals to cope with heightened stress, anxiety and other […]

Featured Foster Family: Allison and Clay Merritt

Allison and Clay Merritt became foster parents with Children’s Home Society of Florida in 2013 to provide stability, love and support to children who were temporarily separated from their biological families for their safety.  Foster parents like the Merritts provide critical support to helping children safely return home after their journey through foster care. “All […]

C.A. Weis Elementary, A Community Partnership School Becomes First School in Florida to Achieve Full Affirmation from UCF

Pensacola, Fla. (May 21, 2021) – C.A. Weis Elementary, A Community Partnership School has become the first school in Florida to become a fully affirmed UCF-Certified Community Partnership School. The first of its kind in the Panhandle, the Community Partnership School is a long-term commitment among Children’s Home Society of Florida, Community Health Northwest Florida, […]

Foster Family Highlight: The Reids

May is National Foster Care Month – the perfect time to recognize and celebrate Families opening their hearts and homes to children in foster care. Foster Parents like the Reids welcome children into their family temporarily while their biological families work to overcome obstacles and safely bring their children home. The Reids have been foster […]

Recognizing our Social Workers!

March is Social Worker Appreciation Month, a time to celebrate the commitment of our team members credentialed in the field of social work. We’re honored to learn more about their career trajectory and recognize their impact on the lives of those in their care: 1. What lead you to the field of social work? I […]

Nonprofit executive empowers Black students to excellence

Shining a Light: A series of stories for Black History Month highlighting people making a difference today in Central Florida’s Black community. As a teenager, Jarvis Wheeler worked 30 hours a week at a restaurant while balancing schoolwork and sports at Dr. Phillips High School. “It was empowering for me to stand on my own,” […]

Community Partnership Schools are the way through COVID-19 and into the future

When COVID-19 catapulted students into remote learning overnight, our kids lost more than an in-person learning experience. Children in frightening, unstable home environments lost precious hours of safety and certainty, and positive relationships with peers, teachers, principals and bus drivers. Students struggling with anxiety, depression or a host of other mental health issues lost comfort, […]