Patti has big plans for her family’s future. The mother of seven looks forward to watching them grow up. Her memories of their middle school dances, first dates and high school graduations will accompany her forever as the bright outcome of a dimmer time.

You see, life at home wasn’t always positive.

Over the years, numerous situations resulted in the separation of Patti and her children as they entered the child welfare system … again and again.

Most recently, the unthinkable happened … and the court again determined that the children would be safer in foster care while Patti worked to overcome the challenges interfering with their family stability.   With the children safe in a loving foster home, they worked with our dedicated counselors to begin healing from their trauma. Focused on bringing her family back together, Patti found hope through counseling, as she received consistent encouragement and guidance to work toward a brighter tomorrow. She also embraced the opportunity to achieve her full potential as a mom, attending classes to learn appropriate discipline methods, parenting tips and techniques to prevent past behaviors from reoccurring.

“CHS was a great help and connected with me on a personal level. They cared about me and my family and that really made a difference,” Patti shares.

Patti’s desire to reunify her family fueled her fierce dedication to make – and adhere to – changes that would help her provide the stable home she wanted for her kids. And just three months after entering foster care, Patti’s children were safely back home!

She credits the support and services she received through Children’s Home Society of Florida for building her confidence and encouraging her to be the best mom she could be.

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