FamiliesFirst Network

! Today, we are highlighting the Northwest Florida Guardian ad Litem Foundation, Inc. who serve Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, and Walton counties. The Florida Guardian ad Litem Office represents abused, abandoned, and neglected children in the court and community. Their goal is to support, mentor, advocate for, and provide for the needs of abused, abandoned and neglected children while supporting the volunteer advocates in the Guardian Ad Litem program.

Congratulations to Cassandra Coward for receiving the Heart of Supervisor Award!

Did you know adoption through foster care is free?

If you are interested in adopting, the first step is to call our adoption recruitment specialist at 850-418-9148 or visit our website at FamiliesFirstNetwork.org, where you can sign up for an Adoption Info Session!

FFN President Cory Borcherding recognized Beverly Orezzoli and Tina Wolf for 20 years of service with FFN!

FFN is hiring Child Welfare Case Managers, Family Support Workers and more! Are you passionate about making a real difference in people's lives? Join our team of social services professionals and be part of an organization dedicated to empowering individuals and families. Our unique approach focuses on personalized care plans and innovative support programs, setting us apart from other providers. Visit our website today: https://www.elakeviewcenter.org/about-us/careers/

! Our team members do their best to support our children in care and their families with their needs.

! The new school year is quickly approaching! School supplies can be a big expense for many families and caregivers. If you would like to help ease the burden and purchase school supplies items for children in care, visit our Amazon wish list https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/OO3K8879FS9C/ref=nav_wishlist_lists_3.

Our affiliate, Lakeview Center, is thrilled to be a part of this year's Youth Mental Health Summit, hosted by Storytelling Solutions of America!
This incredible event supports the youth in Northwest Florida, and we are excited to collaborate with other passionate organizations to make a positive impact. Stop by and visit us on Friday, July 19, from 9 am to 2 pm.

Our leaders and recruiting team members were out with our parent company team from LifeView Group at the Honoring Our Heroes Job Fair last week in Milton, FL! It was a fantastic opportunity to connect with talented individuals and share the amazing work we do across the organization.

Thank you to everyone who stopped by our booth. We're excited about the possibility of welcoming new heroes to our team!

Learn how we support our veterans: https://ow.ly/eNke50SzaHX

United Way Emerald Coast is hosting a Community Resource Day! This is a great opportunity for families to come and learn about non-profit and community resources that may be available to them, have a fun filled day, and the first 200 families will go home with a grocery gift card and school supplies. If you would like to join the event and set up a booth for free, please RSVP by emailing [email protected].

Foster youth ages 13-22 are invited to join the Young Adult Services program for the 2024 Summer life skills event.

When: July 9, 2024
Time: 12pm to 2pm
Where: STRIKERZ Entertainment Center: 3200 N. Palafox Street Pensacola FL 32501
Please call Ms. Deb at 850-418-4870 to confirm. Please call with any questions. Space is limited!

The event will include two bowling games per person, bowling shoes and lunch.

We will also have an opportunity for youth to learn about having their voices heard through advocating.

Thinking about becoming an adoptive parent? Visit our website to see the children waiting for a forever home or to sign up for a Zoom information session. https://familiesfirstnetwork.org/adopt/overview/

The next Zoom session is tomorrow, July 3 at 6pm CST.

We are celebrating 15 years with Elyssa Forester, our dedicated Employment Services Manager. Elyssa has navigated a remarkable journey at LifeView Group, demonstrating resilience and growth through various roles. We’re proud of her achievements and the unwavering support from her mentors that has fueled her success. Here's to many more years of excellence!

Read her story: https://ow.ly/X2Nc50St7ov

Join the LifeView Group Human Trafficking Task Force as they discuss fundamental concepts related to human trafficking, provide resource information for survivors and their families, and share clinical tips and best practices for working with survivors.

We are partnering with Tappan Consulting, Magdalene’s Inc., The Secret Place Home, The NISSI Project, Sunshine Health, Bridgeway Center Inc., Take Flight Survivors, and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office to present “Human Trafficking Through a Trauma-Informed Lens.”

When: Tuesday, July 30, 2024, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. CST.
Where: Virtually on Zoom.
Register: https://ow.ly/uaCm50SpoVn

Attendance is limited to 100 participants. Registrants will receive a Zoom invitation the week of the event. Don't miss this opportunity to deepen your understanding and support the fight against human trafficking!

Adoption Recruitment Specialist Thomas Williams and Foster Parent Retention Coordinator Marie Hale attended the Juneteenth Unity Fest at the Adoration for a New Beginning Church.

Congratulations to Carol Hernandez, who has been named the FamiliesFirst Network Team Member of the Quarter!

Carol was recognized for helping coordinate a young child’s return to her mother in Guatemala – a feat that took months of preparation, including working with government officials, ensuring the child’s belongings were packed, and supporting mother and child throughout the process.

Thank you, Carol!

Read more: https://ow.ly/7SFK50SlYyw

Congratulations to Laura Goodall-Brown, who has been named Team Member of the Quarter for our parent company, LifeView Group!

Laura’s dedication to her work and her team has not gone unnoticed. One of her team members, who nominated her for this recognition, wrote: “Laura always goes above and beyond to help others. She is constantly stopping to put out multiple fires and always does so with a positive attitude. She is very knowledgeable and does not hesitate to teach others, which in turn sets colleagues up for long-term success.”

Thank you, Laura!

Read more about Laura: https://ow.ly/wpL650SlYhk

All foster youth ages 13-22 are invited to join our Young Adult Services program on Tuesday, July 9 from noon to 2 p.m. at STRIKERZ Entertainment Center, 3200 N. Palafox St. in Pensacola. The event will include two bowling games per person, bowling shoes and lunch. This will also be an opportunity to learn about having your voice heard through advocating.

Space is limited, so please RSVP to Deb at 850-418-4870.

Are you passionate about helping others and making a positive impact in your community? Do you have a knack for problem-solving and connecting people with the resources they need to thrive? If so, then a career at FamiliesFirst Network is the place for you. We have Child Welfare Case Manager and Family Support Worker-Specialized positions open now, among others. Please visit our website to view all opportunities and apply at: https://www.elakeviewcenter.org/about-us/careers/

Congratulations to these integral team members for their service to our organization! We are grateful to have them on our staff!

Eric Kleinert, benefits and compensation director - 5 years
Mark Brien, workers compensation program manager - 5 years
Keri Scott, benefits manager - 10 years
Elyssa Forester, employment services manager - 15 years

Elyssa is shown here with Sandy Whitaker, vice president of corporate development and her supervisor, April Millender, director of recruiting and employment services.

We're hiring now for passionate, dedicated individuals who want to make an impact. Join our team and make a difference!" We have Child Welfare Case Manager, Family Support Worker and Adoption Coordinator positions open today! Visit our website at https://www.elakeviewcenter.org/about-us/careers/

We had a great day at our 19th annual Child Welfare Training Conference! Thanks to the 300+ participants who joined us and the speakers, panelists, vendors and team members who worked tirelessly to make today a success!

🌟 Attention all social workers! 🌟 Are you ready to embark on an exciting new adventure and make a real difference in the world? We have multiple job openings for passionate individuals who are dedicated to helping others. Join our team and let's change lives together!

We have Child Welfare Case Manager, Family Support Worker and Family Support Worker, Specialized positions open now. Visit our website: https://www.elakeviewcenter.org/about-us/careers/

Thank you to Local Pulse Pensacola for highlighting our team! Read a case manager's perspective here, and see how you can help the children and families we serve.

How you can help abused and neglected children through FamiliesFirst Network As painful as it is to hear about, the reality is that there are children of all ages in our community who experience abuse, neglect, or sudden shifts in a family's dynamic that necessitate intervention on behalf of the children. Sometimes we only read about the most extreme cases of child abuse

Do you like to drive? Do you like to help children? Do you enjoy working with a dynamic team? We have two Family Support Worker – Specialized positions available. The primary role for this position is transporting children to foster homes, medical appointments, etc. Check it out and see if it’s for you! https://etud.fa.us8.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/CandidateExperience/en/sites/CX_1/requisitions/preview/2300/?keyword=family+support+worker&mode=location

For help, please call 850-469-3729 or e-mail [email protected].

FamiliesFirst Network is hosting its 19th Annual Child Welfare Training Conference on Tuesday, May 14 at Gateway Church of Christ, located at 445 Creighton Road in Pensacola. This free event will include workshops and small-group breakout sessions, with topics including protective factors, refreshing family time visitations, Trust-Based Relational Intervention, managing family dynamics, early childhood court, family engagement strategies, safety planning, Family-Match technologies and working with sensory issues in children. Registration is required. Sign up and see the full agenda here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/familiesfirst-networks-19th-annual-child-welfare-training-conference-tickets-865788796597?

Do you like to fish, camp or spend time at the beach?
So do kids in foster care who are awaiting adoption.
Providing a loving, caring home to a child in need is incredibly rewarding, and FamiliesFirst Network is here to help you along your adoption journey. As the trusted partner for adoptions in Northwest Florida, we connect adoptive families with training and support throughout the entire process.
Learn about teens, siblings and special needs children who need a forever family, and sign up for a free Zoom information session at

Adoption overview | FamiliesFirst Network FamiliesFirst Network's adoption overview shares vital information about adopting a child.

We are one week away from the free Human Trafficking Summit, organized by LifeView Group’s Human Trafficking Task Force, which includes team members from Lakeview Center, FamiliesFirst Network, and GCE - Global Connections to Employment, as well as community partners from Tappan Consulting, Inc, Magdalene's Inc., The Secret Place Home, The NISSI Project, Sunshine Health, Bridgeway Center, Inc., Take Flight Survivors, and Escambia County Sheriff's Office

The mental health panel of providers includes Kerry Whitely, Julie Schelling, Natalia McCoy and Andrea Sutrick.

Register now at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2024-human-trafficking-summit-tickets-773395074487.