Leadership Florida presents Children’s Home Society of Florida with Statewide Community Award

Release date: 7/22/2010

WINTER PARK, Fla., (July 22, 2010)—Leadership Florida presented Children's Home Society of Florida (CHS) with the 2010 Statewide Community Award, recognizing CHS’ commitment to improving the lives of Florida's citizens through collaboration, leadership and innovation.

Accepted by CHS CEO David A. Bundy, the Statewide Community Award recognizes an organization or company that, through a specific project or effort beyond the scope of its mission, benefits the quality of Floridians' lives.

"With more than a century of service to Florida's citizens, CHS remains driven by stellar values and a deep commitment to helping our communities' children and families," Bundy says. "We're honored to receive this distinct award from Leadership Florida, a true testament to CHS’ dedication to communities throughout the state."

Nominated by Victoria L. Weber, Samia Ferraro, Sherry Plymale, William Preston and Marty Rubin, CHS was recognized in part for its collaborative Florida's People, Florida's Promise initiative, through which it partnered with Florida Taxwatch, AARP and Community Based Care of Seminole to advocate on behalf of Florida's vulnerable citizens during the 2009 legislative session.

Moreover, the award honored CHS’ leadership in child welfare, particularly during Florida’s transition into the privatization of child welfare services nearly a decade ago. Leadership Florida also acknowledged CHS’ statewide influence and commitment to improving the lives of Floridians by embracing local, regional and national partnerships to benefit children and families. CHS’ latest initiative is a collaboration with the University of Central Florida and the Volusia County School District to implement a community school to provide youth and their families with the myriad of services they need and desire in one setting.

While recognizing CHS’ impact on individuals, families and communities statewide, Leadership Florida's Statewide Community Award, established in 1996, also serves to promote a heightened sense of appreciation for the possibilities available when Floridians work together as a single statewide community. Past recipients include Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Florida, Auto Nation, Bank of America, NCCI, Constitution Revision Committee, Florida League of Cities, Holland & Knight, and Florida Humanities Council.

About Children’s Home Society of Florida
Created in 1902, Children's Home Society of Florida (CHS) is the oldest and largest statewide private not-for-profit provider of services to children and families in Florida. Services include foster care, adoption, child development, emergency shelters, residential group homes, independent and transitional living for teens, parent education, counseling, mentoring, treatment for developmentally disabled children, and more. CHS, which served more than 97,000 children and families throughout the state in 2008-2009, is headquartered in Winter Park, Fla., and offers services in more than 100 locations by more than 1,500 staff members dedicated to providing child-focused, family-centered care.

About Leadership Florida
Leadership Florida is a statewide community of leaders actively engaged in understanding and serving Florida. By developing a reputation as a builder of a stronger, diverse statewide sense of community, Leadership Florida has become a respected non-partisan convener, taking the lead in training and developing leaders with a statewide, rather than parochial, view of our state’s needs.

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No clients shall be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. Clients needing accommodations for a disability and/or clients with special communications needs should contact their Children’s Home Society of Florida worker or make their request for accommodation at the time of admission into a Children’s Home Society of Florida program.

CHILDREN'S HOME SOCIETY OF FLORIDA, REGISTRATION #CH180, IS REGISTERED WITH THE STATE UNDER THE SOLICITATION OF CONTRIBUTIONS ACT. A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE (800-435-7352) WITHIN THE STATE. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE.