Emergency Needs Requests will be reviewed within 48 hours. Normalcy and educational requests are reviewed within 5 business days. Licensed foster parents can request reimbursement of up to $75 from case management to purchase clothing for a child who has just been removed. For educational and normalcy requests, we advise submitting your request at least 2 weeks prior to the date you need it fulfilled to allow enough time for any necessary follow-up information and payment.

We support children whose cases originated in Pinellas and Pasco Counties. In some circumstances, we also support children from other circuits who are living in Pinellas and Pasco Counties and are being visited by a circuit GAL. Visiting GALs should first request assistance from the originating circuit for any non-emergency needs. If assistance is not available from the originating circuit, we will consider the request on a case-by-case basis based on available resources. If you have an out-of-county case, you can find the foundation that serves your originating circuit here: Guardian ad Litem

Requests for normalcy activities and tutoring for children who are out of the circuit will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, as it is more challenging to monitor their use. Factors considered will include placement stability and support for follow-up to ensure attendance.

Our preferred payment method for purchases is a credit card. If you are unsure whether the vendor accepts credit card payments, please call to confirm before filling out the form. We understand that some smaller businesses or independent contractors (e.g., tutors) may not accept credit cards, and we can issue a check if needed. Please allow ample time for a check; we only cut checks on the 1st and 15th of each month.

If payment is for a recurring service provided to an individual (e.g., tutoring), you will need to provide a W-9. You can find the form here: IRS W-9 Form

Generally, we do not provide funding for family needs. However, exceptions may be made on an individual basis if the request positively impacts permanency. Please reach out to iamforthechild@herotoachild.org to discuss any family needs before submitting a request.

No.

No. While we recognize that phones are a normal part of teens' lives, we do not currently provide funds for phones or phone cards. Many of our youth can use older phones or Wi-Fi-capable devices in locations with Wi-Fi access. If you believe there is a need that should be considered, please contact us before submitting the form.

Yes. You may also request funding for normalcy activities for non-recurring programs, such as a semester of school football, spring break camps, or an 8-week soccer program. If additional funding for ongoing normalcy activities is required, caregivers should plan to cover costs beyond the 4-6 weeks that we can provide support. Funding, when available, can be renewed for up to 4-6 weeks, but due to demand, it will not exceed $500 per child per year.

You can submit a request for clothing; please be specific about what is needed and the required sizes. We can also provide gift cards to Walmart or Target for the GAL or caregiver to take the child shopping. Gift cards require a signed affidavit, and receipts are needed after the purchase. For additional help, Clothes to Kids offers clothing for children, with stores in Clearwater, St. Petersburg, and Tampa; appointments and referrals are required. Eligibility guidelines can be found on their website.

Additionally, the Public Defender's Office has clothing closets in Clearwater and New Port Richey, and various local foster care closets provide gently used clothing and other items. Eckerd also maintains a closet. No child should be without their basic needs. Remember, licensed foster parents can request reimbursement of up to $75 from case management to purchase clothing for newly removed children.

Yes, you can. We offer beds, mattresses, and linens for both relative and non-relative caregivers, as well as for youth aging out of the system. Our preferred bedding providers are Walmart, Target, and Amazon because they offer affordable options and the flexibility to ship directly to homes or allow for pickup at designated stores.

Transportation assistance will be evaluated individually for teens with educational needs or those requiring transportation to and from work. PSTA offers a transportation disadvantage program that all foster youth are eligible to participate in, providing bus passes for as little as $11 per month. Please note that bus passes cannot be issued to parents or caregivers.

We will be purchasing laptops or tablets for children. Laptops typically cost between $200 and $300, while tablets cost between $50 and $100. If a child has special needs or post-secondary plans that require equipment beyond these price ranges, please contact us to discuss their specific needs. Please note that we do not provide iPads or iMacs unless a child has a disability that necessitates one of these products.

Yes, educational needs are a priority for our funders. Tutoring requests will be funded in increments of 6 to 8 weeks and will qualify for recurring funding upon receipt of a progress report and invoice from the tutor.

The applicant is responsible for locating a tutor and coordinating with the family. If payment is to be made to an individual, they must provide a W-9 form, which can be found here. Please ensure that the W-9 is completed before submitting your request so that you can upload it with your application.

Request an invoice and a progress report from the tutor that details the child's activities and progress. Once you have both documents, complete the education form and select "YES" when asked if this is a continuation. Remember to upload both the invoice and the progress report to the online application. It's important to note that the child must have attended at least 75% of the sessions in the previous period to qualify for continued funding.

It depends on the individual situation. On May 1, 2017, Governor Rick Scott signed SB 60 into law, which allows the Keys to Independence program to reimburse youth and caregivers for costs related to driver education, obtaining a driver’s license, and motor vehicle insurance for young adults in foster care. This initiative aims to provide these young adults with the same opportunities as their peers who are not in foster care.

For more information, including the application form, please visit the Keys to Independence website. If you need assistance, don’t hesitate to contact your Case Manager or Child Advocacy Manager.

Additionally, if a young adult who has aged out of foster care is struggling with insurance costs while participating in post-secondary education, please reach out to us to discuss specific needs at iamforthechild@herotoachild.org.

All Guardian ad Litem offices have gift items available for our children, including “birthday party in a bag” packages. Feel free to stop by the office and select something for your GAL child. If you have requests for other items for celebratory or bonding purposes, please let us know. We may have a donor who can help fulfill individual birthday wishes for children. If a child has a special wish, please email the details to iamforthechild@galf6.org, and we will see if we can accommodate it. Additionally, the Guardian ad Litem Foundation of Tampa Bay hosts a holiday gift drive each year, with applications accepted from September to October.

Yes! Gift cards are as good as cash. Anyone who receives a gift card must keep all receipts and submit them along with any unused funds on the gift cards. Please send your receipts to iamforthechild@herotoachild.org and include the names of the child(ren) so we can match the receipts with the request.

You are required to submit a follow-up report within 60 days of receiving approval. This process should only take about 5 to 10 minutes and is essential for the Foundation to report to our funders. We ensure that any information provided is anonymized before we share success stories. Please note that applicants with outstanding follow-up reports will not be able to submit new requests until they have completed the required report.

Our Learn to Earn Program offers children and teens the chance to set a 9-week goal and select a reward for achieving it. We prioritize experiential or educational rewards that do not exceed $100. You can fill out the Learn to Earn Goal Setting Form by clicking here. Once the goal has been approved, you can start working with your child to achieve it. After the goal is completed, you can request the fulfillment of the reward here.

In Pinellas County, the Healthy Start Coalition has created a manual that includes a range of helpful resources, including family planning, childcare, domestic violence support, dental care, employment assistance, and legal aid.

For many children, a visit to a theme park is a special occasion that provides a sense of normalcy during challenging times in their lives. Theme park tickets may be purchased for this purpose when funds are available. Please contact iamforthechild@herotoachild.org before submitting a request to check on the availability of funds.

Tickets are limited to one-day options, unless the price of an annual pass is equivalent to that of a one-day ticket. Each child is allowed to request only one ticket per year, which includes one adult to accompany them (e.g., a guardian ad litem, foster parent, sibling, biological parent, etc.). Tickets should be requested at least 6 weeks in advance of the intended visit. Any unused tickets after 6 months will be reassigned to another child in need of assistance.

The Foundation acknowledges that there may occasionally be delivery errors, breakage, or other issues with items requested for children's needs. Guardians ad Litem and staff are encouraged to carefully review the delivery addresses provided and verify all information before submitting a children's needs request. HTAC reserves the right to deny fulfillment of additional requests if inaccurate information is provided.