Children’s Needs
Every child deserves to have their basic and medical needs met, access to educational resources that support their academic performance, opportunities for age-appropriate activities, essential mental health services, and preparation for a future beyond foster care. Our Children's Needs Program helps turn this belief into reality by addressing over 4,000 individual needs each year.
Resource Closet
Hero To A Child operates two needs closets, with a third set to open in February 2025. Each closet is stocked with a variety of essential items, including toys, educational supplies, and shelf-stable food. These items are provided through in-kind donation drives organized by our donors and community partners. Caregivers, foster parents, guardians ad litem, and case managers can "shop" in the closets to gather supplies for the children in their care.
Courthouse Facility Dog
Courthouse facility dogs are professionally trained animals that work in prosecutor's offices, child advocacy centers, and family courts across the country. These dogs originate from carefully bred litters and are socialized in a variety of environments, including public spaces, busy restaurants, and around children of all ages. They grow accustomed to situations like elevators, open stairways, office settings, and public transportation. This extensive early socialization ensures that the dogs are not stressed by public life as adults.
Their primary role is to provide calming support for children during stressful legal proceedings. As legally neutral companions, these dogs assist the most vulnerable witnesses, helping them feel more comfortable and willing to describe their experiences during investigations and prosecutions. Additionally, they offer emotional support to participants in family court proceedings and in specialty or treatment courts.
Polar is the first courthouse facility dog to support the children and youth of the Circuit 6 Child Welfare System in Pasco and Pinellas Counties.
Guardian ad Litem Support
The State of Florida mandates that every abused and neglected child be represented by a Guardian ad Litem (GAL) in court. These volunteer child advocates play a crucial role in fulfilling society's fundamental responsibility to protect our children. Guardian ad Litem volunteers serve as the voice of the child in court, prioritizing the child's best interests above all else. They support the child both in and out of the courtroom, ensuring that the child's needs are met by the system. Often, they are the only consistent adult in the child's life. Hero To A Child collaborates closely with the 6th Circuit Guardian ad Litem Office to ensure that these volunteers have access to the resources and services necessary to support the children they serve.
Educational Conferences
At Hero To A Child, we believe that collaboration is essential. This sentiment applies to everyone involved in the child welfare system, regardless of their role in the lives of children and youth in care. We host two annual educational conferences designed for both the children in care and the adults who support them. These conferences unite organizations and agencies from our community, all of which provide programs and resources for these families. Participation in each event is free, and sponsorship opportunities are available for interested companies. Organizations or agencies that wish to attend and share their services with participants must register in advance to secure a vendor table.
Our Adulting 101 program connects teens aged 14 and older with the resources they need to prepare for life after foster care. The Trauma Informed Care Training Conference educates adults within the child welfare system on how trauma impacts the brains and behaviors of the children in their care. This training equips them with resources and knowledge to better support these vulnerable children and enhance their stability.
Holiday Magic
The holiday season can be particularly stressful for children in foster care, as they often miss their parents and siblings the most during this time. Many of these children are placed with relatives, neighbors, or friends who may not have the financial means to provide special gifts. To help brighten their holidays, Hero To A Child organizes an annual gift-giving program. In partnership with Family Support Services (FSS), the 2024 Holiday Magic Program provided gifts to over 1,700 children and youth in our community.
Special Events
Throughout the year, in partnership with community donors, Hero to a Child hosts special events for children and youth in care. We provide these kids with opportunities to attend games featuring the Bucs, Rays, and Threshers, visit the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, and enjoy a day at Astro Skate. These special events would not be possible without our generous donors. Most recently, Kiwanis of Pinellas Park funded two Sibling Day Out events to help siblings reconnect after being separated across multiple foster homes.