HomeSafe is at the forefront of group care for foster children who have been abused and neglected. We are seeing children who are in more pain than ever before. These kids have trouble managing their emotions and behavior because of the severe trauma that they have experienced. In a recent visit from the Council on Accreditation, HomeSafe was lauded for becoming what they see as the next generation of group care, and for reimagining all of our campuses through our Healing the Hurt campaign.
When children arrive at HomeSafe, the evidence of their trauma is seen in their faces, body language, attitudes, and demeanor. They have been moved around multiple times, and they have little hope and trust because they have been let down by adults who were supposed to protect them. One child recently shared, “I was in so many different group homes by the time I was 14. In one, I was picked on and beaten up by the kids, and I was told by staff that I would just be another statistic.”
At HomeSafe, these children are safe, loved, and cared for. They are also given the structure and support they need to heal. We are used to saying, “HomeSafe is the last hope for these children,” but now we are saying, “HomeSafe is the best hope for these children.”
The Healing the Hurt campaign is an investment in the construction of four new campuses across Palm Beach County that embody the next generation and the best practices in group care. Children need safety, security and privacy – and their own space to heal. Soon, all of our kids will have private bedrooms and warm environments that provide the spaces for therapy, learning, enrichment, and socialization. One child shared her feedback on the new Sylvester Family Foundation West campus in West Palm which opened in May 2021. “I love having my own bedroom and bathroom. I feel safer and more comfortable, and I like having my own place to go to when I’m frustrated and need to be alone.”
HomeSafe will make this initiative a reality through your philanthropic support. Many have been extremely generous. You may have read in earlier communications about transformative gifts from the Stoops Family Foundation, Steven E. Bernstein Family Foundation, Harcourt M. and Virginia W. Sylvester Foundation, and many others who have given generously to help us reach $10.2 million toward our $15 million goal.
We welcome you to take a tour with our CEO Matt Ladika to see first-hand how these beautiful homes and our team of professionals are transforming children’s lives. Feel free to call Laura Barker, Director of Philanthropy, at (561) 383-9829 to schedule a visit. This is an extraordinary moment for HomeSafe and for the kids that we serve and we want to share it with you.
Do you want to help change a life today?
