CHS Blog
November is National Adoption Month – the perfect time to shine a light on adoptive families and their journey. Anna was adopted through CHS in 1962. Today she is a mother of four, piano teacher and performer. She says she owes this all to her adoptive parents who raised her and her biological mother who […]
Let us honor the life and legacy of Mary Virginia Terry. Mrs. Terry, or “Miss Ginnie” to the children of Children’s Home Society of Florida, has left a legacy of love in Jacksonville, along with her late husband, Mr. C Herman Terry. Whether Mrs. Terry was giving for the balloons that made little Joseph’s eyes […]
We need to talk about the relationship between domestic violence and Florida’s foster care system. It may not shock you to learn that reports of child abuse and neglect often go hand-in-hand with findings of domestic violence. But when a family is in crisis and a child’s safety is at risk, the chaos and trauma […]
Sometimes the worst brings out the best. But imagine if the best of humanity shone all the time … if the heart of humankind extolled the compassion and generosity we’re seeing now, in the wake of Ian. Earlier this week, I walked into my office to find bags upon bags of diapers, wipes, paper products, […]
Is Your Estate Plan ready for the next Hurricane or Emergency? It’s Never too Early! Make important plans for those you care about during National Estate Planning Awareness Week, October 17-23. Who: Everyone 18 years or older needs a plan, not just the elderly or wealthy. What: Important documents include a Will, Power of Attorney […]
Although the holiday season brings tremendous joy and togetherness, it can also bring stress and enormous pressure triggering significant mental health challenges. Prioritizing self-care is an effective way to reduce stress, improve well-being and help find peace in challenging situations. Putting mental wellness on the backburner may cause irritability, feelings of helplessness and hopelessness, extreme […]
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Six of the nine deadliest U.S. mass shootings since 2018 were committed by people 21 or younger, which according to researchers is a shift from trends in the earlier decades. The shooting in North Carolina Thursday night resulted in the deaths of five people including an off-duty police officer is just the latest in a […]
In the weeks since Hurricane Ian made landfall, our communities in Southwest Florida are still reeling from the impact. The devastation in Fort Myers was at a level that no one anticipated or expected. Parts of the city still don’t have power and essential resources like water and diapers are still hard to find. Many […]
SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. – Nonprofit Healthy Families Seminole at the Children’s Home Society (CHS) of Florida, which works to keep families together and children out of foster care, has seen a 100% success rate this year. Terry and Vedrana Conklin and their 15-month-old son, Lincoln, are living proof. Vedrana lost her job right after COVID […]
It is officially hurricane season! It is extremely important to stay prepared and informed during this time of year. Our Children’s Home Society of Florida Hurricane Preparedness webpage has key information available to you at all times. Below you will find some key reminders for you and your family. Identify important contacts and keep them […]
The Florida Department of Health reports 400,000 children suffer from emotional, behavioral and developmental challenges, but only about half are able to access the treatment they need. As we’ve seen too often, this can lead to tragic circumstances … situations that may have been avoidable had youth received the intervention they so desperately needed. While […]
The homeless youth in our community can be hard to spot. “You typically don’t see them on the side of the road holding a sign,” said Leah Harrison, Children’s Home Society of Florida senior director of development and advancement. Harrison said many young people without homes will perpetually couch surf, drifting between different residences. Harrison […]
Sometimes it’s the statistics that drive me, the numbers I can’t seem to shake. For instance, did you know that one out of every seven children struggle with a developmental delay? Yet only 15% of those one in seven receive early intervention services. It’s heartbreaking to think that families in our community may not know […]
Joyce and Kaitlyn became mentor and mentee about a year ago when they joined the MODEL mentoring program. Now, they consider each other family. The mentoring program connects kids with mentors. During their mentoring relationship, positive adult role models help youth build self-esteem, teach the importance of respecting authority and empower them to achieve educational […]
[ext-video type=”youtube” url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stWed3z-xKw”] VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — Allison Merritt and her husband Clay Merritt have two grown children, so for the last decade, they have been welcoming foster children into their Palm Coast home. “Try to provide them some normalcy, a family atmosphere and stuff like that,” Clay Merritt said. Right now, the couple is […]
