As a community of innovators, Brevard County’s commitment to Florida has long been to inspire, educate and lead.

Recently, Elon Musk brought global attention back to the Space Coast by launching a luxury Tesla into space. It was the kind of bold move that draws spectators and skeptics to our shore. But while eyes were on the sky, there’s more incredible work being done on the ground. Work that will transform the lives of children and reshape their future – Work to end the need for foster care as we know it.

It’s a bold enterprise, I know! But at Children’s Home Society of Florida, we have the strategically proven approach to drive change and evolution in the world of child advocacy.

Yes, it’s true that Brevard County is home to an internationally recognized scientific research center, but for many people it’s more than that. It’s “home” — a place where they share dinner with their families and send their children to school.

But what about the families struggling to even reach or maintain that simple level of “normalcy”?

Here’s the truth: There are parents living in our neighborhoods who do not have a loving or healthy support system. They are working multiple jobs on unmanageable schedules trying – fighting – to provide their kids with a safe and stable home. Often, these parents struggle to realize what a safe home even is because their own childhood was far from stable. In areas of high crime or violence, some families are unable to envision their own success because they’re too engrossed with basic survival.

Don’t Brevard County’s kids and families deserve an organization as dedicated to innovation and advancement as the rest of the market?

Of course they do. And Children’s Home Society of Florida is that organization – right here in Brevard County.

CHS’ legacy started with an orphanage 115 years ago. Times have significantly changed, kids’ needs and families’ challenges have drastically changed, and CHS has been the leader in evolving just as quickly so we can continue to provide the right solutions at the right time.

Throughout our storied history, we moved beyond the walls of a safe shelter and into the community — bringing solutions to meet families at their needs to further encourage brighter futures and better outcomes.

This is what it means to end the need for foster care as we know it. We’re building upon family strengths to empower them to meet personal and family goals, to keep their kids safe at home – and out of foster care.

The driving force behind our approach is to encourage parents to play the lead role in nurturing their children’s growth and development. Without proper guidance, that role can feel more overwhelming than empowering. Starting as early as pregnancy and following through toddlerhood, parents face some of their toughest stressors: finding the right child care, education, nutrition, and health services.

And as stress begins to build for the parent, so do safety risks for their kids.

That’s why CHS partners with parents to overcome risks, stressors and other barriers to success by listening to each family’s unique needs. For example, our Healthy Start program begins serving moms prenatally, connecting them with proper care and support even before they bring their babies home. And in our Early Head Start Program, we pair quality early childhood education with day care and focus on health and nutrition from birth, like bringing dental screenings on site through partnerships with local dentists. CHS provides care and convenience for those who need it most. It’s the evolution in child and family services that our community needs.

This is what success looks like. But it cannot be accomplished in a silo – it takes our entire community to rally behind our children.

Let’s show what really makes the Space Coast so great: our commitment to a better future for children.