Posted: 1/17/2014
Heartland for Children: Faith-based Initiatives
Through your ministry you inspire and touch the lives of so many children and families. We are in need of leaders of faith based ministries throughout our local communities that will partner with Heartland for Children in implementing a faith-based initiative. This partnership will encompass both universal and targeted efforts to provide family and community supports that will build protective factors for the families within our communities.
Protective factors are conditions in families and communities that, when present, increase the health and well-being of children and families.
The Faith community currently provides many supports to families and children through various activities such as:
- Children and Youth Programs
- Daycare or After School Care
- Christian Education
- Pastoral Care and Counseling
- Life Groups
- Family Programs
- Community and Volunteer Programs (i.e. food banks, clothes closet, financial assistance/training)
Our hope is that the faith-based community will answer the call and take on the issues of child abuse and neglect. Ways for the faith based community to become involved would include assisting with and developing various child abuse prevention efforts, helping to identify families to become licensed foster care homes or approved adoptive families so that the lives of children and families in our communities can be changed and positively impacted forever.
Heartland for Children is the local not-for-profit agency responsible for redesigning the foster care system in Polk, Hardee and Highlands Counties. Heartland for Children promotes the prevention of child abuse and oversees the provision of services for children who have been abused and/or neglected. These services include in-home family strengthening, adoption, foster care, independent living and case management. As the local Child Welfare Lead Agency, Heartland for Children is concerned with the safety and well being of all children in our community.
Each day we serve approximately 2000 children in our system of care. We have approximately 150 foster homes and on any given day, we can take in between 8 – 10 children to be placed in foster care. Our mission, simply stated, is - improving safety, permanency, and well being for all children in Polk, Hardee and Highlands Counties. Our vision is great – to eliminate child abuse and neglect in Polk, Hardee and Highlands Counties.
We are asking you as a faith leader in your community to join us in the effort to strengthen our communities and forever impact the lives of children and families. Your ministry holds the key to unlocking the future for a child or family in need. With each of us doing our part and in partnering together, we will make a positive impact on the lives of children and families.
Will you consider answering the call... remember, the answer lies within our community.
For information on becoming a faith-based Champion Partner, email Andrea Hagan or call (863) 519-8900 ext. 214.