Brevard Family Partnership

For all the kids and young adults going back to school today, and all the people who care for them, we hope this first day back in the classroom is filled with success and very little stress. We also wish that all our students and teachers have a great school year.

Special thanks to members of the Central Florida Christian Chamber of Commerce for inviting us to have a table at their relationship building meeting yesterday and to Foster Youth of America for covering the cost of us being the day’s dessert sponsor. It was great spending time with existing partners and getting the chance to meet future ones.

During our back-to-school giveaway days Thursday and Friday at our East Orange County service center, we were able to give 144 kids in our care a great head start on preparing for their first day of school Aug. 12. Thank you to the many generous donors who shopped through our Amazon wish list and donated funds to help us buy backpacks and school supplies. Special thanks also to staff members Sigfrido Del Rosario, Nehemie Thomas, Kayonna Marshall, Shelly Rose, Lisa Walters and Diane Greene, who took time from their busy schedules to help the kids and parents select their supplies and make the days a success. It takes a village!

July adoptions = forever families! Here's to a lifetime of happiness and endless memories together.

Tropical Storm Debby is currently tracking west of Florida and expected to make landfall in the Big Bend area. Although Central Florida may at times experience heavy rain and winds, our administrative offices and service centers will be operating as usual during normal business hours Monday. We are continuing to monitor the storm, however, and if conditions change, we will notify all team members and partners. We hope everyone stays safe and experiences few to no disruption to their daily activities. We look forward to hearing that all is well for you, and especially our neighbors in the Big Bend community, once the storm has passed. For storm updates, visit hurricanes.gov.

It was a magical Friday night for a group of 4- to 10-year-old girls, thanks to Elevation Church Orlando. They were treated to a princess spa day featuring a special guest appearance by Frozen’s Elsa and Ana. Thanks, Elevation Church, for such a special night.

We kicked off our back-to-school giveaway days yesterday at our Osceola County service center. Caregivers were able to pick up backpacks and all kinds of school supplies for the kids they’ve welcomed into their hearts and homes. A total of 140 kids are now ready for their first day of school. Thanks to everyone who donated supplies to make this first day such a success. We’re especially thankful for Osceola Council on Aging, which donated 48 backpacks already filled with supplies. And thanks to staff members and partners Kenia Sanchez (and her son Ethan), Karen Grant and Rebecca Quiles, who took time from their busy day to help families select their supplies and feel welcome.

In case you didn’t know it, today is the start of the back-to-school tax holiday. From now until April 11, certain clothing, footwear, accessories, school supplies and learning aids are tax exempt, so shop for the next two weeks and save on the items your kids need to be confident and prepared for their first day of school. For more information on the items that apply, visit floridarevenue.com/BacktoSchool and select “consumers.”

If you’re considering becoming a foster parent and want to learn more about this life-changing role, we invite you to attend one of our upcoming information sessions: Aug. 13 and 27 at 6 p.m. via Zoom. We’ll share information about the foster care process, the characteristics of the children in need of foster parents, the types of foster homes needed in the community, what is expected of foster homes, and an overview of the application and assessment process. To participate, please register at https://tinyurl.com/2d44knap. Once you register, you’ll receive an email containing information about joining the meeting. If you have any questions, please reach out to Christina Gagum at [email protected].

Some of our foster parents shared why they love fostering teens, and we couldn’t have said it better ourselves. If you want to experience this kind of love, reach out to us at [email protected].

Today is the second day of Amazon Prime Day. Take advantage of the day’s deals while you’re shopping our Amazon wish list for back-to-school supplies for our kids: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3KGONRZMY5JRZ/ref=hz_ls_biz_ex. Your generous gift will help them be prepared and confident for that first big day back to school Aug. 12.

It’s hard to believe we’re only a month away from the start of the new school year. The first day of classes for Brevard, Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties is Aug. 12. To help our kids be ready for that big, first day, we’re collecting supplies. We particularly need backpacks and lunch boxes. You can help by shopping our Amazon wish list at https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3KGONRZMY5JRZ/ref=hz_ls_biz_ex. And if you shop today and tomorrow, Prime members can get deals on many supplies through Amazon Prime Day. Thanks for helping our kids feel confident and prepared!

We’re so thankful for adoptive parents, like Elizabeth Ballard, who has adopted six children, and our adoption specialists, like Alyssa Simon. It’s a partnership that helps children have the safe, stable and loving homes they need and deserve. Elizabeth, her family and Alyssa were recently featured on Spectrum News. Check out their story: https://mynews13.com/fl/orlando/news/2024/06/27/osceola-co--in-need-of-more-adoptive-parents

Let’s leave a legacy of love and compassion for future generations. Your donation can help make that a reality. Shop through our Amazon wish list by going to https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3KGONRZMY5JRZ/ref=hz_ls_biz_ex. You can also drop off new, unused items at our office: 389 Commerce Parkway, Suite 120, Rockledge, FL 32955. Thank you so much for making a lasting impact on their education!

From all of us at Family Partnerships of Central Florida, we wish you a safe, happy Fourth of July.

We are thrilled to announce that our organization will be attend the pre-screening of "Sound of Hope" on July 3rd at NCG Cinemas in Palm Bay.

Join us at this special event to learn more about foster care and adoption. We will be there to provide information and answer any questions you may have about how to make a difference in a child's life.

The movie times are 6:00 pm and 9:05 pm.

of Hope

Join us in creating a better future for the children in your community. Your donation can make a world of difference! Shop through our Amazon wish list by going to https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3KGONRZMY5JRZ/ref=hz_ls_biz_ex. You can also drop off new, unused items at our office: 389 Commerce Parkway, Suite 120, Rockledge, FL 32955. Thank you so much for giving our kids everything they need for a successful school year!

Today, we give a very grateful shout-out to FARO Technologies and David Hernandez, the company’s facility manager. He and the company’s executives built bicycles as a team building exercise and donated them to us. We are so thankful for their generosity and for thinking of our kids. We couldn’t do what we do without great community partners like them.

June adoptions = forever families! Here's to a lifetime of happiness and endless memories together.

It’s a special day for the Poole Mitchell family. They and their five children are celebrating the kids’ adoptions, finalized today. Congratulations to them and the nine other East Orange County families on their new beginnings as forever families!

It wouldn’t be summertime in Florida without swimming at the beach or at a community pool. But Florida consistently ranks in the top five states for drownings in children ages 1 to 4. Check out these reminders to help your kids be safe around the water: https://www.myflfamilies.com/watersafety. And here’s a cool free app to help teach children ages 2 to 6 about water safety: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/stewie-the-duck-learns-to-swim/id514573567?ls=1.

🎉 Congratulations to our newest case managers who graduated from pre-service training! We are so excited to have them join our team to strengthen families, protect children and change lives.

A big thank you to our amazing training team! ❤️

Today is , a national holiday that recognizes the day in 1865 that federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, and ended slavery in the United States. “Juneteenth is a day of reflection, a day of renewal, a pride-filled day. It is a moment in time taken to appreciate the African American experience. It is inclusive of all races, ethnicities and nationalities — as nothing is more comforting than the hand of a friend.” Want to learn more about the history behind this day? Visit https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stories/historical-legacy-juneteenth or https://www.juneteenth.com.

Teacher. Comforter. Listener. Healer. Thank you to all the fathers and father figures for being all those things for the children in your life, whether for a day or for a lifetime. With admiration, gratitude and respect for all you do, Happy Father’s Day!

Summer break may have just started, but before we know it, our kids will be going back to school, and we want them to be prepared. You can help by purchasing supplies for our annual back-to-school drive by July 22. Shop through our Amazon wish list using the QR code or go to https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3KGONRZMY5JRZ/ref=hz_ls_biz_ex. You can also drop off new, unused items at our office: 389 Commerce Parkway, Suite 120, Rockledge, FL 32955. Thanks so much for giving our kids a great start to the new school year!

Brevard Family Partnership Brevard Family Partnership is Brevard County's lead agency for child welfare.