CHS Blog
I didn’t know what an engineer was until I was in college. I knew what a nurse did, because my mom was a nurse. It wasn’t until college that I had access to the worlds beyond that of my home or the small town I grew up in. I’m not alone. Throughout Florida, thousands of […]
Martine Michel may not have taken the route she intended, but she ended up exactly where she needed to be; a foster parent that has provided a loving and supportive home for 16 kids in the past two years. Martine initially wanted to start a group home. She said it has always been a passion […]
Growing up in the foster care system, Rose Williams knew she wanted to give back to children in need. Her and her wife, Melanie, decided that the best way to do that was to become foster parents. “I always chose that I would always do better than the way that my parents were,” said Rose. […]
Berlyn and Elias Reese have been providing a loving home for children in need since 1989. Their love for children is what inspired them to begin their fostering journey. After 60 kids, Berlyn lost count of how many they’ve had in their home and believes they’ve taken care of well over 100 children by now. […]
Last year, 1,578 children who were impacted by allegations of sexual abuse, physical abuse, or neglect in the Greater Lakeland area received care from our local Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC). With April being National Child Abuse Prevention Month, it’s important to highlight the resources in our community that are helping prevent child abuse and neglect. […]
In the months leading up to the 2020 election, hotelier and philanthropist Julian MacQueen, usually a booster for this Florida Panhandle beach destination, found himself making an unusual pitch to the other business leaders of Pensacola. Escambia County, he told them, was failing its children. In all sorts of metrics of well-being, from abuse and […]
When Tanya became pregnant with her first child she joined Children’s Home Society of Florida’s Healthy Families – a program that provides encouragement, practical guidance and resources to parents throughout Florida. During weekly sessions, and in the comfort of their own homes, parents – like Tanya — learn how to help their children reach key […]
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 […]
