Make A Difference Blog Archives by Date Blog
For 20 years, Heartland for Children has been impacting the lives of children & families in Polk, Highlands and Hardee Counties. We are thrilled to share the latest updates and heartwarming stories from the good work being done to serve and support children and families in Polk, Highlands, and Hardee Counties.
Did you know Florida ranks #3 in states with the most human trafficking cases? In 2024, there were 738 confirmed cases of human trafficking in our state. Together, we can make a difference!
This year's 20th Annual Rudolph Round-Up Toy Drive was a heartwarming success thanks to YOU! Together, we brightened the holidays for over 1,653 children in foster care across Polk, Highlands, and Hardee Counties. From every gift to every moment of your time, you made spirits shine brighter than ever. Check out this video recap of the joy and love you brought to life – we couldn’t have done it without our incredible community.
My wife, Joy-Lynn and I became Foster Parent Mentors (FPM) through Heartland for Children in 2012. When we were approached with the opportunity to be an added support for incoming Foster Parents, we jumped at the opportunity because we saw the value in having someone who other Foster Parents could relate to as being an invaluable resource; especially, if the individual(s) were completely new to the fostering and/or parenting experience.
As FPMs through Heartland, we've had the chance to interact with incoming Foster Parents on many levels including assisting with respite, providing guidance or best practices with difficult behavioral issues, advocating for a child who had to be moved from one home to another, making recommendations on working with case management, providing another vantage point through the process of Termination of Parental Rights (TPR), and many other areas that Foster Parents can encounter during their first and continuing years of child advocates.
What we've gained as FPMs is a heightened level of understanding of how important it is to identify the needs of incoming Foster Parents. Being able to make recommendations on how the training component has and can continue to successfully equip incoming parents with the proper training and education; is a value add that Heartland has really welcomed input on.
Cebien Alty - HFC Foster Parent, Foster Parent Mentor