Many families need support – not separation. We’re changing that by addressing the root causes before crisis happens.

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Early support changes everything. Our Community Impact Model helps children and families build strong, lasting futures.

See our Model in action

We partner with families from early childhood through career – so every child has a clear path forward.

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Through our Every Child Ready campaign, your partnership helps children stay safe, succeed in school and step into adulthood with confidence.

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Creating ecosystems of support where childhood poverty is highest.

Breaking Barriers. Building Dreams.

Building Bridges to Success

At Children’s Home Society of Florida (CHS), our mission has grown into a bold, statewide movement to address the root causes preventing children from reaching their full potential.

Our Community Impact Model offers a cradle-to-career approach that brings education, healthcare, family support, and economic opportunity together to help children and families thrive.

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Nearly 125 Years of Impact

Children’s Home Society of Florida’s Community Impact Model is a connected approach that supports children from birth through adulthood.

It brings together the right support at the right time – so children and families don’t face challenges alone. Instead of isolated services, we create a continuous path of care, learning, and opportunity that helps children grow up safe, succeed in school, and move confidently into adulthood and the workforce.

Strong, Stable Beginnings

The Start of Lifelong Learning

From prenatal development through age five, a child’s brain grows faster than at any other time in life. This is a critical window to set the foundation for future success.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (Administration for Children and Families), 80% of brain development occurs before age 5, making the earliest years a critical window for support and intervention.

We help ensure families have what they need early on—strong relationships, healthy physical and mental development, early learning opportunities, and safe, nurturing environments where children can thrive.

And it works: 99% of children and families enrolled in our programs remain safely at home together, free of abuse and neglect.

Prenatal care, parent education, good nutrition, and stable home environments all support healthy brain development. High-quality early learning programs like preschool and prekindergarten build the cognitive, social, and emotional skills children need to succeed in school and beyond.

When support starts early, children enter kindergarten ready to learn – and ready to thrive.

Success in School

Building the Foundation for Future Success

The elementary and secondary years are key for academic success, social development, and building resilience and belonging.

Research from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine shows that students who are engaged and supported in school are more likely to graduate on time and succeed in college, career, and life.

Through Community Partnership Schools and other school-based supports, we support students so they are prepared for the classroom and beyond.

Children receiving these supports are better equipped – mentally, physically and emotionally – to engage with learning, retain new information and apply it in meaningful ways.

When students are supported early and consistently, they are more likely to stay on track academically and build the foundation for future readiness.

Upward Mobility

Preparing for Adulthood

Ages 14–24 are a critical transition period when young people move from school into college, training, and the workforce – and begin building independent adult lives.

Research from the U.S. Department of Labor shows that nearly 1 in 5 young adults are not in school or working, underscoring the need for strong support during this stage.

CHS helps young adults build the skills, experiences, and confidence they need to succeed. This includes career exploration, job readiness, work experience, life skills education, mental health support, and access to caring mentors.

We also support them as they pursue postsecondary education and training by helping them navigate admissions, financial aid, and academic expectations—so they can persist and complete their goals.

And as they enter the workforce, we focus on long-term success – not just landing a job, but building a pathway to growth, stability, and advancement.

With the right support, young people are better prepared to thrive in adulthood and contribute to their communities.

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 […]

Together, we brought essential support services right into homes, schools, and neighborhoods where child poverty is highest. Families who had every door closing on them found one that opened. Students who had never seen a counselor, a dentist, or a doctor without missing school received care right on campus. Babies who showed early signs of developmental […]

September is Suicide Prevention Month, a powerful reminder that mental health support saves lives. At Children’s Home Society of Florida (CHS), our Behavioral Health team is on the front lines every day, making sure no child or family has to face struggles alone. From anxiety and depression to trauma and behavioral challenges, young people across […]

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Join our winning team and embark upon a career that changes lives – including yours. Whether you’re on the front lines or supporting behind the scenes, you’re an important part of our bold, brave, brilliant CHS family.

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When you get involved with CHS, you make a lasting impact on the lives of children and families. You help create positive policy changes, provide direct support and resources to those in need, and help foster strength, confidence, and opportunity for children and their families.

How to Get Involved

711,000 Florida children live in poverty.