CHS Blog
In 1902, Children’s Home Society of Florida opened our doors as an orphanage in Jacksonville Florida. Throughout our 118-legacy we have grown to reach every county in Florida, help families through each stage of growth and carried out our vision to help more children realize their full potential. One of our greatest joys comes from […]
The Children’s Home Society of Florida is focused on empowering children through numerous programs; the mission remains the same, but the way CHS operates looks different in the age of COVID-19. Team members have been working remotely; CHS has not had to cancel any of its programs. In cases where employees cannot work remotely, they […]
Latoya Jennings-Lopez hosts this special episode of Stats+Stories with the children of Howard W. Bishop middle school. Listen to Alyana and Collin ask our host John Bailer and other special guest Wendy Martinez about their careers in Statistics, and how young people can get involved early. From topics such as job prospects to COVID-19’s impact, […]
Some years ago, Christy and Danny Lowe provided a loving home to non-relative children. They watched those children grow, flourish, become adults, enter the workforce, buy homes and even start families of their own. Inspired by seeing their kids succeed, the Lowes decided to become foster parents with the Children’s Home Society of Florida in […]
Children’s Home Society of Florida, a national leader in trauma-informed counseling, launched free, 24/7 confidential online counseling for kids, parents and others. Their Family Support Warm Line connects users to a real counselor with a call, text or click. For more information, go to chsfl.test/support. In addition, two Children’s Home Society of Florida case managers rotated […]
Nonprofits of all kinds provide critical help to communities across the United States, but it is the medium-sized ones that make a critical difference — those with at least 500 employees. Their workers operate food pantries, and homeless and domestic-violence shelters. They manage and staff residential facilities for young people with mental illnesses. They offer […]
“In foster care, we often hear ‘Be the village’. No one embodies this more than Tracy Garmon” – Casey Hendershot, LMHC, CHS Licensed Clinical Program Supervisor Tracy Garmon became a foster parent in 2015. She has provided a loving home to so many children in Northeast Florida she says she has lost count … but […]
Dr. Nivea L. Torres takes an in-depth look at the Community Partnership Schools model with Merchon Green, CHS Director of the Community Partnership School in Dodgertown Elementary. View this interview on: Moonshot Radio on Youtube
Many experts predicted at the start of the pandemic that widespread self-isolation would lead to more cases of child abuse. Now, they believe cases are being underreported. Calls to child abuse hotlines have gone down since stay-at-home orders took effect, by around 50% in some states. Jericka Duncan shares the video diaries from child welfare […]
A top pediatric trauma surgeon and Central Florida child-welfare advocates are sounding an alarm over a sharp rise in severe child abuse cases since the start of the coronavirus pandemic — a trend they fear could continue until classrooms reopen in August and the economy improves. “These are not just a belt mark or a […]
While many can connect with children and families through technology, some children still need to be seen. In the midst of so much uncertainty, so much fear, I see so much good. There is good in the essential work that must continue. Our first-responders, health care workers, gas station attendants, grocery store clerks, maintenance professionals, […]
April was National Child Abuse Prevention Month, the annual observance in the U.S. since 1983 for raising awareness of one of the world’s worst problems. The World Health Organization defines child abuse and child maltreatment as “all forms of physical and/or emotional ill-treatment, sexual abuse, neglect or negligent treatment or commercial or other exploitation, resulting […]
April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, and the Children’s Home Society of Florida is sounding the alarm about how the COVID-19 pandemic and stay at home orders could be increasing incidents of child abuse and neglect. The organization’s VP, Tara Hormell, joined us with more information. Listen at wjct.org
There’s Always Room at the Jenkins’ Table Starla and Mike Jenkins became foster parents in North Carolina. When a new opportunity brought them to Florida, they knew they wanted to continue welcoming children into their hearts and home in Central Florida. The Jenkins did not waste any time. In the midst of moving across state […]
Mavis Bryant, from Cocoa, Florida, loved her career as a case manager at the Children’s Home Society. So when her health began to deteriorate in March 2018 due to heart disease, kidney disease, and type 2 diabetes, forcing her to spend several months in the hospital, she was devastated. She worried she’d never be able […]
