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Our Kids > News and Events > News
05/11/2012
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05/09/2012
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With Hillsborough County reeling after nine children died within two years in the care of its lead child welfare agency – the most in the state – a new contractor is poised to take over on July 1.Hopes are high that Clearwater-based Eckerd Youth Alternatives, which in January won the $65.5 million annual contract from the Florida Department of Children and Families, will better protect children in state custody than the current provider, Hillsborough Kids, Inc.The state contracts with community-based providers like HKI and Eckerd – which already oversees child protection in Pinellas and Pasco counties – for running much of the day-to-day child welfare system. State officials hope Eckerd does a better job of avoiding tragedies by better use of data to predict problems
Our Kids - Grant Award from the Peacock Foundation
05/07/2012
Our Kids is proud to announce that our Young Parents Project was awarded a $40,000 grant from the Peacock Foundation.
 
The Young Parents Project is a partnership between the FSU Center for Prevention & Early Intervention Policy, The Children’s Trust, Our Kids and Florida’s Agency for Health Care Administration. “This partnership has brought together some of the most highly
 respected and experienced individuals when it comes to troubled youth as well as children and families,” said YPP Program Director, Barbara White.  “Together we have given young parents and their babies support and education that is critical to their survival and success in the future.”  In just one year, the program has increased the number of teen moms who regained full custody of their infants by more than 50 percent.  It has also reduced the number of low birth weight babies, improved health care and developmental screening and most importantly, prevented the subsequent births that are often the hallmark of teen parents.
 

 
05/07/2012
The 4th Annual Foster/Adoptive Conference was a terrific success.
04/28/2012
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MIAMI - Hundreds of foster and adoptive parents and children will gather in Miami this weekend for a special training event.
Foster parents are required to complete a certain number of in-service training hours to stay qualified. Saturday's workshop will focus on quality parenting, life skills and efforts to help foster kids live normal lives by encouraging foster parents to enroll them in extracurricular activities.
Children will be placed in groups by age and go on field trips to local attractions while parents attend trainings.
The state's local foster care contractor, Our Kids of Miami-Dade and Monroe, is hosting the event. Superintendent of Miami-Dade Public schools Alberto M. Carvalho is the keynote speaker.
 
Thanks to all of our volunteers, moderators, panelists and participants today. The 4th Annual Foster/Adoptive Conference was a terrific success. Already starting to plan next year's event.
 
4/25/2012
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For several years, Department of Children and Families Secretary David Wilkins and his wife "adopted" two foster girls just for the holiday season. If the Wilkins went to Kentucky to visit extended family, the girls went with them. The girls were included in shopping trips, Christmas baking and other traditions along with the couple's three biological daughters
12/21/2011
Approximately 45 children were adopted during the National Adoption Day celebration at Miami Children’s Day, Friday, Nov. 18th.
12/21/2011
Health Foundation of South Florida grant will measure program’s success and outcomes
12/20/2011
Bunchy Gertner's toy drive.  Each year, this amazing yet unassuming retired volunteer leads the toy drive efforts of Voices for Children and, at the same time, leverages hundreds of community groups to donate to the toy drive. Individuals, civic groups, corporations and toy companies all generously answer her call.  Her network of volunteers and donors generate an unprecedented level of support across our community.
This year she outdid herself.  This is easily the largest such toy drive for foster kids in the state. We have thousands of toys, games and gifts to give out to our kids.
The folks that say there is no such thing as Santa Claus have obviously never met Bunchy.
For the past 13 years, Bunchy has provided Xmas Toys for children in care.  Since our existence, every FCMA has been the recipients of these toys.  While I have been involved over the years, but not  to the extent that I have this year.  I have witnessed an unbelievable fete unfold.
When I say that this is the most amazing thing I have witnessed.  I mean every word.  Bunchy's network of donors is expansive.  The size of donations, both in goods and money, is astonishing, and the effort that it takes to organize (age and gender specific) and wrap gifts, then, fill the orders for each agency, all done by volunteers, is mind boggling.
12/20/2011
CEO Frances Allegra and CIO Pat Smith have been awarded for their success and effort
11/18/2011
For Michelle Norwood it was a two-year process to adopt the three children
11/18/2011
MIAMI (CBSMiami) - Forty-five South Florida children who have sadly experienced tragic abuse found new homes Friday in Florida's largest adoption ceremony.  The event, which was part of National Adoption Day, took place on Watson Island.
Far from their courtrooms, judges and families packed the Miami Children's Museum for what child welfare officials called 'the best day of the year.' "It's absolutely the best day of the year, exclaimed Dr. Oren Wunderman of the Family Resource Center.
11/4/2011
Non-profit organization deploys SonicWALL Next-Generation Firewall, Aventail solution and SonicPoints to safeguard children’s data and improve social services of Miami-Dade/Monroe counties
9/28/2011
LIBERTY CITY
  Foster kids get a new lease on life with home makeover. Teenagers in a group foster setting had their home transformed - thanks to a volunteer effort led by The Continental Group.
8/9/2011
 “Digital Pen Streamlines Paperwork in Miami.”
7/19/2011
Raquell Perry, a former foster child from Little Haiti, hopes to become a lawyer to help kids who are in the foster care system.
6/13/2011
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6/11/2011
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4/29/2011
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Progress in America can be measured by the opportunities we pass on to our children. For nearly half a million youth in foster care across our country, the best path to success we can give them is the chance to experience a loving home where they can feel secure and thrive.
4/25/2011 - Forbes Magazine
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Innovative Technology Makes all the Difference
3/16/2011
The Florida agency charged with protecting children from abuse and neglect is touting what it is calling the more family-centered approach it has implemented in the Keys over the past two years.
3/14/2011
Our Kids of Miami-Dade/Monroe gave its 250 caseworkers digital pens to better manage paperwork and accelerate the court cases of the 3,000 foster children in its care.
3/14/2011
2/24/2011
See attached link of a wonderful picture from Adoption Day 2010 in Miami. The Secretary, Honorable George Sarduy and a very happy family are pictured. It is set to come out in the January 1 edition of the Florida Bar News.
 
02/15/2011
Our Kids launches a digital pen to facilitate juvenile court proceedings and streamline collection of information
2/10/2011
Effectively Navigate the Child Welfare System with Child-Centered Practices for the Courtroom and Community
11/29/2010
Our Kids names Sanford Bohrer as vice chair and names Carol Licko as an at large board member
11/22/2010
11/20/2010
11/19/2010
Our Kids and its Agencies to Finalize 50 Adoptions in One Day Miami Children’s Museum Hosts Event
11/17/2010
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Congratulations to Kimberly Hernandez, who has been elected as President of The Florida State Foster/Adoptive Parent Association, Inc. She can be contacted at kimh@fsfapa.org
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Working closely with our partners and 'Neat Stuff' Our Kids arranged for 888 backpacks to be delivered to foster children throughout the County in time for school to start. Each backpack came loaded with school uniforms including 3 shirts, 2 pairs of pant
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