New data on childhood poverty in FL

Recently our partners at the Florida Chamber Foundation released the 2026 State of Childhood Poverty in Florida report.

The headline is encouraging—but the reality is clear: more than 700,000 children in Florida are still growing up without consistent access to food, stable housing, and the support they need to succeed.

Even more telling, child poverty is concentrated in a small number of ZIP codes across our state—the same communities where long-term economic mobility is hardest to achieve.

At Children’s Home Society of Florida, this is exactly where we work.

In partnership with the Florida Chamber and through tools like the Florida Gap Map, we can see—down to the ZIP code—where children and families face the greatest barriers. And we respond by building coordinated systems of support in those communities, bringing together schools, healthcare providers, and local partners to reach children early and consistently.

This approach is working.

Across Florida, children are staying on track in school, families are stabilizing, and young people are preparing for the workforce. Programs like Community Partnership Schools are already generating more than $1 billion in long-term economic impact through increased graduation and lifetime earnings.

This is what happens when communities invest upstream.  Children grow up surrounded by opportunity. They graduate. They earn. They lead. And they help build stronger communities for the next generation.

But the work is far from finished—and it requires continued engagement from people like you, who understand what’s at stake.

I invite you to explore the Florida Gap Map, see where the need is greatest, and join us in expanding this work.

Because where a child grows up should never determine how far they can go.

Sincerely,
Andry Sweet
President & CEO
Children’s Home Society of Florida