{"id":3953,"date":"2015-02-17T13:35:15","date_gmt":"2015-02-17T18:35:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/bfp.makingitsimple.net\/?p=3953"},"modified":"2015-02-17T13:35:15","modified_gmt":"2015-02-17T18:35:15","slug":"a-decade-of-difference-serving-children-and-families","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fpocf.org\/a-decade-of-difference-serving-children-and-families\/","title":{"rendered":"A Decade of Difference Serving Children and Families"},"content":{"rendered":"

Brevard Lead Child Welfare Agency Celebrates 10 Years of Protecting Children, Strengthening Families, Changing Lives <\/strong><\/p>\n

MELBOURNE, FL \u2013 February 7, 2015 \u2013 For the past ten years, Brevard Family Partnership<\/a> and its many community partners have led the way in reducing the incidences of child abuse and neglect in Brevard. On Saturday night, February 7, at Heritage Isle Clubhouse in Viera, over 200 friends of Brevard Family Partnership came together to kick off this milestone and celebrate \u201cA Decade of Difference\u201d.<\/p>\n

The night was hosted Brevard Family Partnership<\/a> staff and board members, and led by Master of Ceremonies Sheriff Wayne Ivey, who welcomed guests and dignitaries, including a representative from\u00a0Congressman Posey\u2019s office, Andy Zeigler from the Brevard County School Board, and other business leaders and elected officials. Sheriff Ivey highlighted the many accomplishments Brevard Family Partnership has achieved over the past 10 years and former foster youth along with foster and adoptive parents shared their stories of success and inspiration. Guests were invited to make a donation to support the Brevard Family Partnership Endowment<\/em> through the Community Foundation for Brevard<\/a>. By the end of the night, over $10,000 was raised through the generous donations of attendees and sponsors. These funds will serve to support child abuse prevention and family preservation programs and services for years to come.<\/p>\n

In 10 years, Brevard Family Partnership and its nationally recognized child and family Wraparound organization Brevard C.A.R.E.S. has helped to reduce the number of children in the formal child welfare system of care, from a high of over 1,500 children in 2005, to less than 900 today. And by reaching families in crisis, and getting them critical services before stressors can lead to issues of child well-being and safety, Brevard Family Partnership has kept over 13,000 children and their families from ever entering the dependency system. For those children permanently removed from their parents\u2019 care due to abuse or neglect, adoption partner IMPOWER helps find adoptive families. To date, over 680 children have found permanency in \u201cforever homes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Highlighting 2015 as the year to celebrate making \u201cA Decade of Difference\u201d for children and families, Brevard Family Partnership invites business and community leaders, children\u2019s champions, donors and benefactors to join in and help celebrate their many accomplishments and milestones and raise awareness of what a community must continue to do to help keep children safe. Throughout 2015, Brevard Family Partnership will be hosting several signature events to celebrate 10 years of serving Brevard\u2019s children and families. These include:<\/p>\n