INDIAN RIVER COUNTY —Children’s Home Society of Florida, Treasure Coast Division, recently received an emergency grant through United Way of Indian River County’s Special Projects and Emergency Program. This grant provided the necessary funding to purchase a replacement freezer at Baines Hall, which stores perishable food for the girls that live at the group home, ages 12-17, in foster care.
“Home cooked meals are an important part of the girls’ lives at Baines Hall. Baines Hall serves as a stable residence for young teen girls who are in the foster care system,” explained Jan Swink, Executive Director of Children’s Home Society of Florida, Treasure Coast Division. “These young residents are part of a nurturing home environment where they are taught appropriate behavior and living skills that will provide them with a strong foundation so that when they are living on their own, they will not continue the cycle of abusive behavior that have been part of their lives.”
It is the goal of Children’s Home Society of Florida to promote and develop healthy, positive behaviors and values for the young teens living in the home.
Children’s Home Society of Florida collaborates with many agencies, businesses, churches, community groups and volunteers and is supported by the United Way of Indian River County.
The nonprofit agency provides child protection case management, adoption, and independent living services to all Indian River County children in foster care or under court supervision through contracts with the Department of Children and Families and United for Families.
Locally, Baines Hall benefits from no-cost services provided by the Junior League of Indian River County, the Treasure Coast Exchange Club, Vero Beach Museum of Art, Treasure Coast Sewing Guild, and Summer Enrichment Program, sponsored by Quail Valley Charities, Inc. and SunTrust Bank.
All of these provide outlets for the girls to participate in after school, weekends and a summer tutoring program during the summer.
Over the past years, the teens have benefited from local volunteers and business owners who have come to the house to provide various services.
Many of the girls participate in the CHS Independent Living program, which prepares them for “independence” or adulthood through skill development and individualized case management and planning.
New Horizons Mental Health, the Treasure Coast Homelessness Service Council, Workforce Solutions and Indian River State College collaborate with Children’s Home Society to ensure the girls are connected with a job, or higher education, housing, and mental health services if needed when they turn eighteen.
United Way of Indian River County runs an annual campaign, coordinates a Community Investment Process, manages a Foundation, provides emergency and special project grants, coordinates volunteer run programs, and runs the United Way Center, which houses its Community Room, Board Room and a non-profit incubation center.
The Children’s Home Society of Florida is the sixth largest of more than 1,200 private organizations currently accredited and/or in process of accreditation in North America (US and Canada). The Treasure Coast Division, which is one of 15 divisions in Florida, served 11,607 children and their families in fiscal year 2011 in Indian River, Martin, Okeechobee and St. Lucie counties.
The nonprofit organization’s programs are developed to break the cycle of child abuse and provide children and young adults with the opportunity to be safe, healthy and prepared for life. For more information visit chsfl.org or call (772) 344-4020.