Family Partnerships Foundation

Our Mission

Family Partnerships Foundation creates opportunities that help transform the lives of Central Florida children and youth experiencing foster care so they can grow into successful, independent adults. It does this by advocating for them and leveraging financial resources, expertise and support that assists Family Partnerships of Central Florida in meeting the needs of the children and families it serves. The foundation also creates awareness and strategic partnerships that further the mission of our community-based system of care — all for the greater good of our children, youth and families.

You Make the Difference

When you make a generous donation through the foundation or support our fundraising initiatives, you can feel confident your gift is making a difference in three important areas:

Prevention

We provide support and programs that strengthen families so children can remain safely at home. We focus on a family’s food and housing resources, mental and physical health, education, finances, safety, and more. Your gifts provide:

- - - - Day care for a single working mother on a waiting list for subsidized childcare.
        
        Cribs for newborns and infants so they have a safe place to sleep.
        
        One month’s rent for a family that has unexpectedly lost a job and is experiencing the possibility of eviction.
        
        Car seats for families in need.
        
        Summer camps for at-risk youth.

Every $1 spent on prevention saves $9 in funding for foster care.

In-care Support

We help our children and youth feel less displaced and achieve a sense of normalcy as they enter and experience foster care. Your gifts help cover the costs of:

- - - - Extracurricular activities that boost a child’s self-esteem, promote a sense of belonging and enrich their lives.
        
        Bedding, toiletries and other essentials that help children entering foster care feel more comfortable in their foster home.
        
        Tutoring and educational opportunities that keep children and teens from falling behind academically.
        
        Career-building activities that give youth opportunities to job shadow and participate in work programs, gaining valuable experience and skills.

Independent Living

While we strive to provide a permanent family for every child, it’s not always possible, so while our youth are in our care, we give them the tools and support they need to become thriving, independent adults. Your gifts purchase:

- - - - Supplies — like laptops, tablets, books — that help young adults pursue their educational goals.
        
        Household items that bridge the gap between life in care and life on their own.
        
        Transportation assistance — ride-share gift cards or bus passes — that help young adults get to jobs and school until they can afford their own transportation.
        
        Dental procedures and braces that promote self-confidence.
        
        Groceries and other necessities that help young adults make ends meet.

Other Ways to Give

There are many ways to support our community’s children and families. One of them is legacy giving, which includes a variety of options to match individual giving needs. Here are some of them:

Payroll deduction
Work fundraisers
Employer gift match
Naming gift opportunities
Contributions from IRAs, stocks, charitable gift annuities, donor-advised funds and other planned gifts
Gifts through wills and bequests

Contact us at community.relations@fpocf.org to learn more about these and other ways you can support Family Partnerships of Central Florida and be a champion for our community’s children.

Every Child Deserves a Safe, Nurturing Place to Call Home

Family Partnerships of Central Florida provides child abuse prevention, crisis intervention, foster care, adoption and independent living services to an average of 8,500 children and youth in Brevard, Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties each year. There are more than 2,800 young people in our care on any given day. Our dedicated partners and child welfare professionals are committed to ensuring that the children we serve have the stable, loving homes they need and deserve and a path to a bright future.

Advisory Board of Directors

Sean Kostelnik, Chair

Kristen Johnson, Vice Chair

Rick Ely, Member

The foundation was established in 2021 as a separate 501(c)3 nonprofit organization to support the vision and mission of Family Partnerships of Central Florida.