Community Blog Archives by Date Blog
Did you know that our biggest adoption month each year is National Adoption Month (November)?
On November 18th, 2015 (National Adoption Day) alone, we had six children (all girls) finalize their adoptions! We had one additional adoption at the end of November, making a total of seven total children and teens adopted during the month of November.
In 2015, 32 children and teens throughout Polk, Hardee and Highlands counties were either matched with a family, or finalized their adoption with a family they were matched with!
Thanks to the generosity of all the donors who chose to be Rudolph Champions in 2015, contributing financially, purchasing items from children’s wish lists and/or sponsoring one of over 60 toy drives in our community, we were able to not only meet our goal, but exceed it!
In the last ten[+] years, Heartland for Children has established strong community partnerships and effective programs that have positively impacted our tri-county area. Under their leadership, child abuse has decreased. This change has been a result of strong commitment to prevention and evidence based programs. Additionally, their focus on trauma focused care has made a tremendous impact on children and families that have experienced abuse, neglect, and out of home placements. Heartland for Children is the model of community based care for our state.
As a social worker who was involved in the transition to this model of care in our state, I fully support and endorse their continued work and leadership in Hardee, Highlands and Polk counties.
Mary Jo Plews - Former Executive Director, Healthy Start Coalition