Children’s Home Society of Florida helping Miami-Dade be resilient| Opinion

What a year this has been.

From record numbers of coronavirus cases and rising unemployment to adjusting to a difficult “new normal,” life was hard. And in many ways, we’re still fighting. But like many others, I can’t help but bid adieu to 2020 with great hope for what the next year will bring and remember the shining moments of good that got us through this year together.

Amid the hardships and challenges, I have been heart-warmed by the resiliency of the human spirit. Healthcare workers on the front lines, giving comfort and saving lives in the face of a deadly pandemic. School teachers finding novel ways to keep our children engaged and learning. Business owners adapting to stay open while keeping their customers and employees safe. Neighbors helping neighbors in need of supplies, comfort or a helping hand.

This is the Miami we love.

And this is why Children’s Home Society of Florida (CHS) exists: so that no child and no family has to face tough times alone. When life is hard, we do good, but we don’t do it alone.

Now, more than ever, we are grateful for our community partners such as Citrus Family Care Network (Citrus FCN) and our generous donors. Together, we are meeting the demands of an unprecedented public health crisis and finding new ways to give hope and help to families in need. Here are just a few examples.

<bullet>When the rest of South Florida went on lockdown, CHS case managers donned their PPE and hit the streets to make sure children were safe. They helped families who were separated stay connected, and they brought comfort to kids in an unprecedented time of uncertainty. While these everyday heroes tend to fly under the radar, their impact kept the heart of this city beating and kept hope alive.

<bullet>Sometimes all it takes to make someone feel better is a listening ear. That’s why we launched our Statewide Family Support Warm Line, providing free 24/7 access to a counselor with a call or text. Since the coronavirus outbreak, families have been dealing with a massive shift in their routines. It was especially hard for our teens to cope with the isolation from their peers.

Parents were at their wit’s end trying to balance being a teacher for their kids at home all day, while also working full time. Since May, the CHS Family Support Warm Line has provided support to more than 4,000 individuals throughout Florida. And we had help along the way. Time and time again we tapped into our network of partners to bring families the right support at the right time, including local community organizations that could provide support with mentors, utilities, food assistance and more.

<bullet>Being a parent is tough in the best of circumstances, let alone parenting a toddler or little one in the midst of a global pandemic. At CHS, we believe it takes a village – and we weren’t going to let the virus stand between us and the families we serve. By shifting our early childhood services to virtual settings, we continued to act as a lifeline to parents – helping to manage their stress and create new, safe routines for their families. Together, we made it through.

All the while, CHS has not missed a beat on the other important good work we do to ensure that more families are safe, strong and together. Our adoptions team even exceeded their goal this year, helping nearly 100 children find their forever families through adoption.

During this season of hope, I encourage everyone to take a few quiet minutes to count your blessings, and remember that we’re all in this together. If you know someone that is struggling and needs a guiding hand and a listening ear, we’re here. Please refer them to CHS. If you are in a position this year to help others, please consider a gift to CHS at chsfl.org/donate and help us continue to meet the needs of this community … no matter what 2021 may bring.

Lourdes Pons is Regional Executive Director of Children’s Home Society of Florida serving Miami-Dade.