- April 26, 2024
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The Community Partnership for Children has served about 2,500 children in three counties since 2001.
The Community Partnership for Children, a contract provider for the Florida Department of Children and Families, opened a new office with an Aug. 31 ribbon-cutting ceremony.
The Palm Coast-based office, located at 377 Palm Coast Parkway, suites 2 and 3, brings the three-county agency into Flagler County for the first time.
The organization has served Flagler and Volusia counties for 11 years, and it extended into Putnam County three years ago.
Mark Jones, CEO of the Community Partnership for Children, said there are four offices in the three-county region.
“I think it’s real positive (to have a Flagler County office),” Jones said Tuesday. “The families that we serve in Palm Coast can go to one place now. I think that really allows us to be on top of the community and gather support for what we do.”
The Community Partnership for Children is an organization that helps children who have been abused or neglected by finding them short-term housing, assessing their individual situations, assigning them case managers, creating case plans and transitioning them into safe, long-term care — whether it be with their immediate families, relatives, guardians, licensed foster care, or independent-living facilities.
The organization, which only becomes involved when the Department for Children and Families removes a child from a home because of abuse and neglect, has about 50 volunteer mentors in the three counties.
According to www.CommunityPartner shipForChildren.org, 99.5% of the program is funded by the state, while 0.5% comes from fundraising and community resources.
Jones said the organization serves approximately 2,500 children each year. The Flagler County Office will have 16 employees, including case managers and support staff.
The Community Partnership for Children is one of 20 community-based care agencies.
Two years ago, Jones said, about 40 Palm Coast children were served. Now, that number is nearly 160.
Anyone interested in becoming a volunteer can contact Suzanne Hiltz, mentor services coordinator, at 547-2293.
Contact Andrew O’Brien at [email protected].
THE MISSION
The mission of the Community Partnership for Children is to design, implement, and manage a quality child protection system for the citizens of Volusia, Flagler and Putnam counties, according to its website, www.CommunityPartnershipforChildren.org.
