1. Our team members bring smiles to each other’s faces by lending a hand when hands and schedules are full.

2. When children are being bullied, we take time to talk with them and share coping strategies.

3. Our 2,000+ team members empower children and families each day.

4. Our team members help each other expand their language horizons to best serve the children and families in their care.

5. We show patience when needed most.

6. Our open door policies provide a supportive environment to help our team members and partners be most effective each day.

7. Through trainings and certifications, our team members remain up-to-date on practices and methods to best serve our children and families.

8. Our leaders are always willing to answer questions posed and if they’re not sure of an answer, they work hard to find one.

9. Our teams maintain positive attitudes through busy days and tough moments.

10. We go the extra mile to ensure our children and families have the tools necessary to achieve their full potential.

11. Our team members are supportive, always there to listen, always there to provide a smile and encouragement.

12. From the very beginning, we’ve been passionate about doing good. CHS opened its doors on November 17, 1902 in Jacksonville when Dr. D.W. Comstock, along with a group of local ministers and civic leaders, formed the agency.

13. CHS provides professional counseling for women who are pregnant. Our goal is to offer a young woman caring guidance and practical advice in using community and family resources to secure a stable life for her child.

14. Every child deserves to realize their full potential. We deliver the solutions that dramatically transform children’s lives…and futures.

15. We strive to leave those we meet in a better mood than when we met them.

16. Each year more than 50,000 children and family members cross bridges to success.

17. Since 1982, we’ve held continuous accreditation by the Council on Accreditation.

18. More than 800 children find forever families through adoption each year.

19. In partnership with top minds at Microsoft, CHS developed the award-winning, one-of-a-kind solution CaseAIM to improve outcomes for kids by changing the environment in which case managers work.

20. Through M-Power in Pensacola, youth and young adults ages 16-21 who have exited foster care or are homeless find the path to realize their potential and skills to successfully transition to living independently.

21. Our counselors are creative in counseling sessions and add in games and activities that are not only engaging, but impactful as well.

22. Each year, more than 10,000 children and families build strong foundations for stable futures through early childhood programs such as Early Steps and Early Head Start.

23. In our local communities, our team members are advocates for not only our services, but the children and families we serve.

24. We helped in the creation of the agency that would become the Department of Children and Families.

25. Our Project 18 Mentoring program connects youth in foster care aged 13-21 in Palm Beach County with an adult mentor in the community to help them prepare for the next stage of their lives.

26. Our esteemed Wellness Program received an Aetna Worksite Wellness Award.

27. In Palm Beach, our mentoring program matches kids ages 6-12 living in a single-parent household with a positive adult mentor who will build self-esteem, teach the importance of respecting authority and empower them to achieve educational goals.

28. We’re the first statewide organization to become HRC-certified by All Children All Families

29. Through our Community Partnership Schools, we’re helping students and their families, as well as staff and community find the path toward success by providing connections to vital community resources.

30. Our pay-for-success model, currently in pilot stage, is the first of its kind in Florida’s child welfare system. Promising improved outcomes for kids, we’ve invested in a proven strategy – and we’re the only child welfare organization in Florida implementing it.

31. Our transitional living and independent living programs open doors to help youth in foster care and young adults exiting foster care pursue meaningful, productive futures.

32. Through trauma informed practices, we change the way we serve children and families who’ve endured traumatic events, implementing best practices that prevent re-traumatization and promote resiliency.

33. In 1997, CHS took a lead role in the launch of community-based care as Florida underwent a dramatic shift with the privatization of child welfare — a move that would significantly improve outcomes for kids.

34. Through Telehealth, we’re bridging the gap for children with Medicaid.

35. “Even Mr. Fagg, the Superintendent, did a bit of everything. All the kids would look forward to ‘Daddy Fagg’s’ visits. We knew he cared for us and that he was doing all he could to find parents for us.” – Edna Ward, joined the CHS family in 1923 and in 1927 joined her forever family at age 13

36. Each year, we serve more than 400 foster families who open their hearts and homes to children in care.

37. CHS has been recognized as a Top 100 Healthiest Employer in America.

38. Through The Faine House, youth exiting foster care in Central Florida can explore their path to stability in adulthood through education, housing & transportation, employment, health & wellness and personal finance.

39. Through our partnership with the Florida Institute of Technology, children in our Early Steps program can have video consultations with an Autism diagnostic specialist before they turn 3.

40. Young adults participating in transitional living programs receive safe, stable housing as they prepare for their future.

41. In Palm Beach County, our Bridges program helps families find support, connections and resources to raise strong, safe, healthy children by working with them to set and achieve personal and family goals.

42. More than 9,000 students realize their potential at Community Partnership Schools each year.

43. Our STEPS program empowers parents living in Duval, St. Johns and Nassau counties looking for guidance and encouragement as they develop strong family relationships and take steps toward personal and family success.

44. In Central Florida, our Perinatal Program helps first time parents cope with the demands and stresses of raising kids and to celebrate with you as you experience the rewards of parenting.

45. CHS assumed a lead role in the launch of community based care as Florida underwent a dramatic shift with the privatization of child welfare.

46. Our Early Steps program empowers families in the Big Bend region with children ages 0-3 who have developmental delays. Our team members help parents navigate the challenges, celebrate the milestones and help their children reach his or her full potential.

47. Our pioneer volunteers and team members have battled the Depression, typhoid fever and fierce storms, but vowed to “never give up” their fight to give children “a chance at a good life”

48. Since 1902, more than 50,000 children have found loving families through adoption.

49. After 115 years, we’re still committed to our core values and beliefs: that every child deserves a safe, loving home; that every family deserves our support.

50. Our Joshua House facility in Lutz is best described by a child who lived there as “a safe place where I won’t get hurt”. Since it opened in February 1992, Joshua HOuse has offered refuge to more than 1,000 Hillsborough County children, ages 4 to 12, with backgrounds of abuse or neglect.

51. Parents involved in the child welfare system who participate in our Early Childhood Court receive an abundance of support from a team dedicated to empowering them to achieve their goals.

52. Our Early Head Start program helps parents guide their child’s early years as they lay the foundation for their child to be ready to enter Pre-K. In parents’ own homes, our home visitors empower them to be their child’s first teacher by providing one-on-one support parenting support, FamilyTime gatherings, ongoing assessments to track key developmental milestones and more.

53. “We took Ricky to see ‘Snow White’ … we were really nervous about how he would act … he was a little scared before it started, but he loved it. The lump in my throat was not due to the movie, but having my son, sitting on my lap, watching his first movie as his little hand dipped into the popcorn.” – Sam + Kathy, adoptive parents (1987)

54. Our emergency shelters care for children at all hours of the day or night.

55. A founding partner of the Community Partnership School model in Florida, CHS is involved in nearly a dozen Community Partnership Schools.

56. Children receiving counseling through CHS can have video consultations with a licensed psychiatrist if they have a mental health diagnosis that may require medication in addition to therapy—eliminating long waiting lists that once plagued their path to success.

57. We are leading the nation in developing and implementing solutions that will transform the lives and futures of children

58. Our trauma informed counselors provide personalized therapy to children and adults who have suffered traumatic events – from violence and abuse to military deployment, divorce and unemployment.

59. Our Tech Success Florida program turns odds into opportunities by bridging the gap between disadvantaged youth and the technology that can open doors to the future.

60. We rallied for the creation of the State Welfare Board.

61. In 1918, we helped to draft and pass the Compulsory Education Law.

62. Our Early Head Start program provides expecting mothers access to a doula, a volunteer who supports them during their final weeks of pregnancy and stays with them–to the extent they’re comfortable–during your baby’s birth).

63. In 1923, CHS helped to secure passage of the Adoption Laws.

64. Through our CINS/FINS program in Central Florida and along the Treasure Coast, we empower teens with challenging behaviors to positively build upon strengths, coach their family through tough topics and provide an additional layer of support.

65. “I love my job because I not only educate minds, but also hearts. The payoffs of supporting one parent is immense… it impacts a whole society! Love to see those “aha” moments on a mom’s face when she realizes that she is the reason why her baby is so clever.” — Martha, Family Support Worker for Healthy Families. (2017) For our staff, each success is a personal win.

66. “It really is just what we’re here to do–it’s about the kids and making sure they get what they need. And helping them see their worth and potential for the future.” –Aaronetta, Dependency Specialist (2016)

67. Our Perinatal Program benefits first time parents in Central Florida through peer group meetings, parenting classes, social events with other families, a special “mom shop” and more.

68. In 1956, CHS served more than 1,000 kids in a single year for the first time.

69. CHS works within schools to find the root of community challenges. For one school in Duval County, CHS provided breakfast for 100 students through our Full Service Schools PLUS program. That school increased their grade a whole grade level.

70. Our Healthy Start home visitors offer compassionate support and resources to pregnant women and families with newborns in the comfort of their own homes.

71. “The willingness of Children’s Home Society of Florida to place the well-being of our children before any other priority is really inspiring.” –Richard B. Adams, Jr., Miami Board Chair (1996)

72. In 1911, CHS helped found the Florida State Conference of Social Work.

73. We care for newborns who have been removed at birth due to prenatal exposure to opioids.

74. We’re the first statewide organization to implement tele-counseling.

75. Our partners recognize our commitment to meet the community at their needs. “Children’s Home Society provides vital mentoring, job readiness and transitional living programs.” — Town of Palm Beach United Way (2017)

76. In the 1970s and 1980s, CHS was the first to adapt to societal changes, working with children with special needs and also working with the Department of Children and Family Services to find homes for children in foster care.

77. “CHS was more than a helping hand. You didn’t just bring my family back together, you gave me back my life” — Richard (2014)

78. In 2010, we received Leadership Florida’s Statewide Community Award, recognizing our commitment to improving the lives of Florida’s citizens through collaboration, leadership and innovation.

79. In 1918, CHS supported the Wife Desertion Bill, legislation naming wife desertion a felony.

80. More than 23,000 children and families rely on Children’s Home Society of Florida adoption and adoption-related services each year.

81. In our first year, we finalized 26 adoptions. This year, our 115th, we will finalize more than 800. Since inception, we have created families for more than 42,000 children through adoption.

82. “For us, adoption definitely means forever…it means I will always love you and nothing can change that.” –Carrie (2014)

83. In the 1930s, CHS first went into schools, helping to secure medical and dental exams, as well as hearing and vision tests.

84. “While times were tough before, I look forward to our future. I’m thankful to be back home with my kids. Home is where we will stay.” –Patti (2016)

85. Our Targeted Case Management team helps children and adults with behavioral and emotional struggles navigate the path toward hope.

86. “When I was homeless, I didn’t think there were any services or people to help me. Then I found Children’s Home Society of Florida. Now, I want to teach kids who are homeless that they can overcome anything. I just know what it’s like them and want them to believe they can achieve success if they want to.” –James (2013)

87. In partnership with Microsoft, our Tech Success program offers 7.000 Florida youth opportunities to gain computer skills necessary to complete their education and earn their GED.

88. We played a pivotal role in the creation of Community Based Care, the privatization of child welfare.

89. “I wouldn’t have gotten the help I needed it it weren’t for Children’s Home Society of Florida. They’ve given me hope, which I never thought would be possible. Having hope makes me feel like I have a purpose.” –Jennifer (2014)

90. In 1919, we helped pass the Mother’s Pension Law.

91. Along the Treasure Coast, our Teen Life Choices program works closely with youth to encourage abstinence as the best–and only surefire–way to prevent pregnancy.

92. We empower parents to be their child’s greatest advocate and to safely work through challenges safely.

93. We educate and empower legislators to best serve Florida’s children and families.

94. Our foster parents are expertly trained in trauma-informed care to provide a high standard of care and many offer their home to multiple children at one time. “Just when you think they’re bursting at the seams, these parents have enough love in their hearts to make room for more.” — Foster Care Licensing Specialist (2015)

95. Our Healthy Families home visitors offer encouragement to parents expecting a new baby or/and those with a baby younger than 3 months old. The program helps parents understand their child’s growth and development, teach positive parenting skills, activities and age-appropriate discipline and more.

96. “Children’s Home Society of Florida has been my backbone of support. They helped me realize I am somebody…Children’s Home Society of Florida is my family.” –Melanie (2011)

97. Our Healthy Start programs provide families resources such as support and guidance as they learn to care for themselves during pregnancy, referrals to childbirth education classes, connections to the community and more.

98. “I was a teen parent on my own, with no place to stay, and no idea how to be a parent. I was in desperate need of help. It was important for us to have someone to turn to. I’m very grateful to CHS for being there.” –Sandra (1997)

99. More than 6,000 teens and young adults receive stability, guidance and coaching from Children’s Home Society of Florida each year.

100. In our first year we cared for 34 children. This year, our 115th, we’ll care for more than 50,000 children and families.

101. In 1946, we began offering services to unwed mothers, further embracing the entire family.

102. In 1911, CHS drafted and passed the Juvenile Court Law in Florida.

103. In Naples, our Gold Seal Quality care Accredited “The Bears” Early Learning Centers serve children from ages 0-5, providing activities such as music and movement, outdoor play and hands-on activities.

104. We advocated for several years to extend the age of foster care to 21 and, in 2013, the crucial law was passed in Florida.

105. “CHS has helped us through some struggles. They have really bent over backwards to help us. They have made me feel proud about the progress I’ve made and the father I have become.” –Major (2016)

106. Our Community Partnership Schools address students’ holistic needs, recognizing their unique challenges. Many schools offer on-site access to health and wellness services, on-site food pantries, counseling, leadership opportunities, after-school activities and more.

107. “You brought something amazing to Evans. The Community Partnership School has impacted so many people.” –Sarai, junior at Evans High School, A Community Partnership School (2016)

108. Our group homes provide a family environment for children and young adults in foster care.

109. Through our tele-health programs, we’re helping families when they need it most by providing care to individuals in their most urgent moment of need.

110. Our foster care model offers a unique approach that allows parents and foster parents to work hand-in-hand to create stronger and more stable homes for Children. One child took notice saying, “”I like my foster parents and they like my mom”.

111. Our Family Visitation Centers ensure the safety and well-being of children and adults caught in the middle of issues such as domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, dating violence or child abuse.

112. In Lake Park, Lake Worth and West Palm Beach, our BRIDGES program works with families in a safe, judgement-free environment to set and achieve personal and family goals so they can build their own bridges to success.

113. During weekly one-on-one sessions with teens, our CINS/FINS team works with them to develop and set goals, appropriately manage anger and resolve conflict.

114. In 1913, CHS was key in passing Florida’s first Child Labor Law, protecting kids from being deprived of education and recreation, offering a real chance for them to realize their full potential.

115. We’re dedicated to 115 more years of doing good.. one community, one family, one child at a time.