A child once described one of CHS' emergency shelters as "a safe place where I won't get hurt any more."
Loving care in one of CHS' safe havens helps the healing begin for children who have known little peace in their young lives. Some have been physically or sexually abused. Others have been abandoned or mistreated, often by parents with histories of drug and alcohol abuse. Still others come from families unable to keep food on the table and a roof over their heads with running water and electricity.
In all cases, officials removed the children from their homes for their own safety and well-being. Their futures vary. Some will be placed in foster homes and some in adoptive homes. Some may return to their own families if their parents work to resolve issues and situations that endangered the children.
CHS' emergency shelter, Crisis Nursery in the Orlando area, also offers voluntary temporary shelter to children whose families are struggling to overcome homelessness, job loss, illness or other crises. Parents who engage this emergency service work closely with staff to resolve their problems and access services that will improve their situations.
Also among the emergency shelters are two specifically designed to care for runaways, Safe Harbor Runaway Shelter in West Palm Beach and WaveC.R.E.S.T in Ft. Pierce. Alone and afraid, these children and youth are cared for by loving professionals who secure medical treatment, and provide clothes in addition to food and a warm friendly place to stay. They work to heal scars not so easily seen through counseling and therapy.
I. Lorraine Thomas Emergency Home, Ft. Lauderdale
Offers nurturing care for 20 children, ages newborn to 12 years. Named for Lorraine Thomas, generous benefactor and wife of the late Dave Thomas, founder of Wendy's International Inc. For contact information, click here.
Crisis Nursery, Orlando
Offers struggling families voluntary child placement, in addition to caring for children removed from their homes. With 18 beds, cares for children, ages newborn to 11 years. For contact information, click here.
Joshua House, Tampa area
Provides both emergency shelter and longer-term residential care for children ages 4 to 12 years. Supported in part by The Friends of Joshua House Foundation, a group of dedicated Tampa-area volunteers and business leaders. For contact information, click here.
The Zeon and Marilyn Hansen Center for Children, Sebring
Offers safe haven for children, ages 3 to 12 years, in a peaceful rural community. Capacity of 20. For contact information, click here.
McLamore Children's Center, Miami
With 20 beds, provides care for children, ages newborn to 8 years. Named for James McLamore, a generous benefactor and dedicated advocate for children. For contact information, click here.
Family Shelter Homes Program, Miami
An extensive network of trained, licensed family shelters and foster homes offers temporary emergency care for children, ages newborn to 8 years. For contact information, click here.
Safe Harbor Runaway Center, West Palm Beach
Provides short-term emergency shelter for runaway and homeless teens while counselors work to reunite them with their families or find permanent living situations for them. For contact information, click here.
WaveC.R.E.S.T. Emergency Shelter, Ft. Pierce
Shelters and counsels runaway youth, ages 11 to 18 years, with a primary goal is reuniting the children with their families. Staff also educates the community to refer runaways and youth-at-risk to the shelter, using trademark yellow and black "Safe Place" signs as part of the national Safe Place initiative. For contact information, click here.
Tree House I and II Emergency Shelters, Tallahassee
The Tree House shelters each have capacity to care for eight children between the ages of 2 and 11 years, but will accept younger and older children if they are part of a sibling group. For contact information, click here.
Sunshine House, South Daytona
Offers much needed emergency shelter for boys and girls with a capacity of eight. Children range in age from 5 to 12 years. For contact information, click here.
