A new day in child welfare began for Central Florida on April 1, 2011 when Community Base Care of Seminole expanded its coverage into Orange and Osceola Counties, thus becoming Community Base Care of Central Florida (CBCCFL). This growth has enabled CBC to better coordinate its services and care for children in an unprecedented fashion.

Nearly ten years ago, former Governor Jeb Bush initiated the creation of local non-profits that contract with the Department of Children and Families to provide foster and adoption care services; the goal was to bring those services closer to those who need them. From that point on, child welfare became a community, grassroots partnership to aid children in their own cities.

This was a colossal shift away from the bureaucracy of service provision; it placed the responsibility for a child’s well-being back where it belongs – in the hands of the community where the child lives and attends school, and put the emphasis on the needs of the child. As a result, today there are 20,000 fewer kids involved in the system statewide!

At our first corporate retreat in May, the passion and commitment of the CBC team was palpable. To say that we are excited about this expansion would be a huge understatement.

For many of you unfamiliar with Community Based Care, let me take a moment and tell you about what shapes our corporate culture. It is not uncommon when walking through our offices to hear a team member referring to CREST. CREST – a Culture of Communication, Respect, Encouragement, Support and Trust – is what we try to foster daily in our corporate community. We want each person here to feel supported and equipped to make the best decisions for the child and be able to administer them in a timely manner.

This past December, we were overwhelmed by your generosity and commitment as we worked to ensure, through presents and events, that our foster children in all three counties had the kind of holiday season they so deeply deserve. We hope your support continues to grow as more and more in Central Florida learn about our mission and role in the community. We have recently launched the “Open Campaign” to let you know how you can help, by opening your home, heart or office to these children. For more information, please visit our website and click on the “Open Campaign” icon on the left below the banner.

We look forward to joining with YOU as we move into the next phase of our adventure to protect and inspire.

Sincerely,