CHS Blog
Children’s Home Society of Florida (CHS) is celebrating 120 years of devoted service to children and families. Founded on November 17, 1902, CHS was established as a child welfare society focused on placing children in safe, loving healthy homes. Before the invention of bubble gum or the Model T. Ford, CHS was uniting Florida residents […]
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 […]
After suffering sexual and physical abuse for most of her life, Maria thought domestic violence was normal. Once her daughter was removed from her care due to extreme danger in the home, Maria participated in the Partners 4 Safe Families program, where she received specialized, intensive, trauma-focused care and support. She received support for safe […]
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 […]
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 […]
In a matter of minutes, Maria and her 7 children were catapulted into crises. A devastating fire destroyed their home and nearly everything they owned. “We were left with nothing – we lost our home, we had nowhere to live.” The family of 8 was now facing homelessness and Maria – a single mom who […]
Maddie had no idea that she was fighting a potentially life-threatening ear infection when she was holding a water bottle against her ear during a test to soothe the pain. But it caught her high school teacher’s attention enough to contact the community partnership school team. Within minutes, the Nurse Practitioner saw something was severely […]
After several years without health insurance, Brianna developed major dental issues, including severe tooth decay on 7 permanent teeth. Brianna lived with her grandmother and had very little resources to cover additional expenses or pay for healthcare. The pain and embarrassment Brianna was experiencing became so significant, she refused to speak at school. It impacted […]
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 […]
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 […]
When you’re a new parent, it can be overwhelming, confusing and, sometimes a bit scary. Catherine related to these feelings because she was an expecting mother dealing with a lot of life changes all at once. “My husband and I found out we were pregnant weeks after leaving the military. We came to a quick […]
Are you a high school student looking to volunteer? Do you need community service hours? Children’s Home Society of Florida has opportunities for you! Whether you have an hour a week or a few hours each month, here are five volunteer opportunities for you. Create Positive Affirmation Jars for Kids 💌 Negative thinking patterns can […]
For National Reunification Month, we want to shed light on the work and commitment parents put into getting their children back home. When children enter the child welfare system, the goal for CHS is to help families overcome challenges so they may bring their children home safely. Reunification is possible once a home is deemed […]
“Silence is definitely different inside your home when your children are not there,” said Misty. With June being National Reunification Month, we want to highlight all of the families who have overcome challenges to successfully bring their children back home safely. Misty is one of those success stories. She had her 5 children removed from […]
Living in the sunshine state means spending the summer months with loved ones by the pool or at the beach. Water can provide fun activities everyone, but it can also pose dangers for children. To keep water activities fun and safe for all, it’s important to establish safety practices to prevent drowning. Here are some […]
