CHS Blog
WEST PALM BEACH — The weather outside the Palm Beach County Courthouse was as bleak as the mood often is inside, but the line of families filing through the lobby doors looked like a Christmas parade. Children wore colorful dresses and tiny bow ties while the adults balanced gift bags and fitful toddlers over the crooks of their arms. Many had been there before, often for […]
From inside a holding cell, youth detained at the new Volusia Family Resource Center west of Daytona Beach can read the following message on a wall: “The opportunity to turn your life around begins now!” Beneath the message is the signature of Volusia County Sheriff Michael Chitwood who spoke at the center’s grand opening Thursday at […]
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 […]
Pine Forest High School is in the final steps of implementing a new clinic in its school and for the community under the umbrella of Community Partnership Schools. In September, the Escambia Children Trust approved $77,658 to support the Children’s Home Society of Florida with a Community Partnership School director and to install a medical clinic at Pine Forest […]
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 […]
ORANGE PARK – Providing food to hungry families hasn’t been a problem for Orange Park High’s monthly food distribution. The real challenge, said Community Partnership School Director Lauren Pfanenstiel, has been spreading the word about available resources and silencing the stigma that sometimes comes with being needy. The partnership, which is part of the Children’s […]
BRADENTON — Daughtrey Elementary will become the second public school in Manatee County to adopt the innovative Community Partnership Schools model this year. Partners include the Children’s Home Society of Florida, Boys & Girls Club of Manatee County, MCR Health, School District of Manatee County, and the University of South Florida. The Community Partnership Schools […]
Pine Forest High School is on the precipice of becoming the second Community Partnership School in Escambia County. Superintendent Tim Smith told Inweeky that Children’s Home Society of Florida secured grant funding to proceed with plans to transition Pine Forest into a Community Partnership School. Children’s Home Society, Escambia County Public Schools, Community Health Northwest […]
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 […]
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – A new ‘Help Shelf’ is now open at Sabal Palm Elementary. It’s full of food and hygiene products that are free for anyone who needs them. The shelf was built by a local nonprofit called The Humanists of Tallahassee and made possible through $500 of grant money. It’s just one of […]
