Florida program aimed at keeping kids out of foster care, helping families stay together
TAMPA, Fla. - More than 23,000 children are in the foster care system in Florida and there is a desperate need to find them permanent homes. According to the Florida Department of Health, Hillsborough County has the highest number of kids in the system than any other county in the state.
There’s a program called Better Together which hopes to change those numbers by keeping kids out of the system and helping families stay together. Fred and Deborah Perkins of Zephyrhills can fill an entire wall in their home with pictures of their grandchildren.
"We have six children and 22 grandchildren. Our journey has been interesting to say the least and blessed," explained Deborah.
Two of their six children are adopted, and their kids have adopted too, creating one very big happy family.
Fed and Deborah Perkins have six children and 22 grandchildren. Two of their six children were adopted, and their kids have adopted too.
"We have enough food, we have enough beds and I think we’ve enough love to go around," Fred said. "That’s what we’ve told our kids as they’ve brought kids in the old-fashioned way and through adoption. We’ve said listen, we have enough love to go around, Christmas gifts may get smaller, but we have enough love to go around."
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They’re not done sharing that love yet either.
"We were always taught from the perspective that if you’re able to help someone you have the obligation to do it," smiled Fred.
So when their church was contacted by Better Together looking for volunteer host families to take in kids during times of need, they didn’t hesitate. They knew full well how tough the foster system was on their girls.
The Perkins can fill an entire wall with pictures of their grandchildren. The many adoptions have created one big happy family.
"Wow, if we can save these kids from this heartache, then this sounds like a program that we want to be involved in," Deborah said.
The program’s founder, Megan Rose, has been doing social work for 15 years and started Better Together in 2016. Rose saw firsthand how broken the foster care system was.
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"We had kids on my case load who were abused in foster care that we couldn’t find homes for they went from home to home," explained Rose.
The program, which is based in Southwest Florida, is expanding its reach across Florida. Better Together has helped keep more than 3,800 children out of foster care, and we've expanded into 14 counties in Florida. Rose said the goal is to expand the program across the entire state over the next five years.
It’s a lofty goal, but one this mother of four is passionate about.
Better Together Founder, Megan Rose, said her family was able to avoid the foster care system thanks to her family's church offering support to them during a difficult season. It's why she is passionate about expanding her program to help more famili
Rose, who grew up in Florida, said her parents struggled during a difficult season in her family's life, and her family's church supported her parents to help them get back on their feet. Rose said that's why they were able to avoid the foster care system altogether.
The Perkins have hosted kids on two different occasions through Better Together. A 1-year-old and a set of teenage twins.
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"Every child deserves to feel safe and loved and protected," smiled Deborah.
The average time a child may stay with a host family is 41 days.
Better Together was started in 2016 down in Southwest Florida. The program founder hopes it will continue to expand throughout Florida over the next five years.
"Most of the time its short term, you might have a medical emergency, maybe a short term incarceration, homelessness, but we can help care for a kid for up to a year," Rose said.
During that time, Better Together helps parents get back on their feet with trained mentors and job coaches. Rose said 60% of the families that go into foster care is due to neglect, and she said research shows that neglect is preventable if families have the right support.
She believes providing that support for families is a big step in ending the foster care crisis.
The staff at Better Together said homelessness is a big issue here in the Tampa Bay area, including families living in their cars. So far this year, they've had 90 families reach out for help.
If you’re interested in becoming a host family the process is easy and only takes a few weeks. You can find more information by going to their website at https://bettertogetherus.org/