We here at Crippen are looking to make 2017 a record year for giving back to our communities. We are holding monthly intraoffice fundraisers to benefit 12 different charities this year through our new Crippen Cares™ initiative. Our nonprofit spotlight is on this month’s fundraiser recipient, Kids Central – Foster Care and Adoption.
Kids Central, Inc. is a child welfare agency serving Citrus, Hernando, Lake, Marion, and Sumter Counties whose mission is “Protecting Children • Supporting Families • Engaging Communities.”
–Protecting Children: Through child abuse prevention programming, diversion services and case management coordination, Kids Central puts the safety and wellbeing of children first. For young adults exiting foster care, Kids Central provides the Independent Living program to help youth transition from foster care to adulthood.
–Supporting Families: Kids Central understands the importance of a family unit. If safely possible, we work to keep families together and strive to bring them back together through case management coordination, and diversion support services. As a prevention program, Kids Central offers Kinship Care Support for relatives raising relative children to keep them from entering foster care. For children, who cannot safely remain with their families, Kids Central recruits, trains, and licenses foster homes. Adoption services are also provided to find permanent living arrangement for children after judicial involvement.
–Engaging Communities: As the lead community-based care organization, the community’s support and commitment are integral to Kids Central’s mission. To build a child-centered community-based system of care, Kids Central assesses any gaps in available services, evaluates the needs of the community and harnesses its strengths. Kids Central also provides child abuse prevention programming and community education.
Kids Central is working to build better lives in Central Florida. To find out more about their work or to find out how to change a life for good, please visit their Facebook at www.facebook.com/kidscentral or visit their website at http://www.kidscentralinc.org.