Nov. 18 was a home-run day for Brevard County children and families. Twenty children exited the child welfare system and united with their forever families as part of a Celebration of Adoption ceremony held by Family Partnerships of Central Florida. Adoptions happen every day across the state, but this multi-family adoption ceremony was in celebration of November as National Adoption Month and Nov. 23 as National Adoption Day — a time to remind communities about the 3,600 children and youth across the state in need of permanent, loving homes. Judge Kelly McKibben presided over this year’s ceremony as 15 families added another VIP to their home team. Learn more about this special day from reporting by Florida Today.

Photo: Family and friends celebrate after Rachel Wilson adopted 3-year-old Annie at Family Partnerships of Central Florida’s Celebration of Adoption Nov. 18 at the USSSA Sports Complex in Viera. (FPOCF photo/Kyra Garza)

The post 20 Brevard children unite with forever families at Celebration of Adoption appeared first on Family Partnerships of Central Florida.

Dozens of backpacks filled with hygiene products and new pajamas will be donated to foster kids in Brevard, Orange, Seminole and Osceola counties through Family Partnerships of Central Florida. It’s a collaborative effort between Closet Factory, which donated 250 backpacks and luggage tags, and Comfort Cases, which donated the supplies that go inside. “For you to be able to donate these backpacks, for us to be able to fill them, we are making a change,” said Rob Scheer, founder of Comfort Cases, an international nonprofit that provides free backpacks for children in the foster care system. With more than 21,031 foster kids in Florida alone and 400,000 across the United States, the need is great, say both Scheer and Phil Scarpelli, president and CEO of Family Partnerships. Hear the full interview with both leaders and watch the volunteers in action: Volunteers donate backpacks with hygiene products, other needs for foster children in Orlando (clickorlando.com)

The post Volunteers donate backpacks filled with hygiene products, other items foster children need appeared first on Family Partnerships of Central Florida.

Elizabeth Ballard wasn’t planning to have children. Now, she’s the mother of six, ranging from toddler to teenager. The Osceola County mom became a foster parent and then felt called to adopt the children she’d come to call her own. She’s not alone. Since January, families have adopted 295 children throughout Brevard, Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties with the help of Family Partnerships of Central Florida. But with 233 children available for adoption now, Ballard will tell you there’s much more to do for Central Florida’s kids: https://mynews13.com/fl/orlando/news/2024/06/27/osceola-co–in-need-of-more-adoptive-parents

The post Central Florida needs more adoptive parents appeared first on Family Partnerships of Central Florida.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Brevard Family Partnership is working closely with Embrace Families Community Based Care in the transition as Florida Department of Children and Families announced the award to be the lead child welfare agency for all counties. Read more in this press release.

Read more about the contract transition with Embrace Families

CONTRACT ANNOUNCEMENT

The post DCF AWARDS CONTRACT TO BREVARD FAMILY PARTNERSHIP appeared first on Family Partnerships of Central Florida.

Florida DCF Adoption Chaos: My Daughter’s Nephew is also Her Brother by Lisa Gerard.

What a difference six years can make. The last time I walked through the doors of the same courtroom in Brevard County Florida, in 2018, my daughter had annihilated the small swinging door and it hung on for dear life – dangling from the last remaining hinge. 

Read entire story here

The post Lisa Gerard shares adoption story appeared first on Family Partnerships of Central Florida.

Brittnee Joseph, Adoptive and foster parent

Melonie Holt, WFTV. BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — Brevard County is growing, and the Brevard Family Partnership told Channel 9 about the need for qualified and compassionate foster families.

Three years ago, Brittnee Joseph became a foster parent because she saw a need.

“I worked for the school board for a while,” she said. “I was also a child who was adopted, and I know children need a loving home that can be supportive, so we opened our home for sibling groups, teens and everybody else.”

Watch entire interview here WFTV

The post Foster Parents needed in Brevard appeared first on Family Partnerships of Central Florida.

DCF streamlining process to get children into forever homes faster

By Melonie Holt, WFTV.com and Charles Frazier, WFTV.com

November 21, 2023 at 6:07 pm EST

DCF streamlining process to get children into forever homes faster – WFTV

VIDEO: DCF streamlining process to get children into forever homes faster The Florida Department of Children and Families is streamlining the process to get children into forever homes faster. (Melonie Holt, WFTV.com/WFTV)

(Melonie Holt, WFTV.com/WFTV)

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — The Florida Department of Children and Families is streamlining the process to get children into forever homes faster.

The post DCF streamlining process to get children into forever homes faster – WFTV news coverage appeared first on Family Partnerships of Central Florida.

Melissa and David Jarman are just one of the many couples working with Brevard Family Partnership as a foster family, providing a loving home while hoping to reunify children with their families.
Brevard Family Partnership/For Hometown News

Nonprofit seeks to train foster families

These children need YOU! Classes to begin Sept. 26 and Oct. 6

BREVARD COUNTY — Some children are just dealt a rough lot in life and are left waiting for their parents or guardians to get better before they come home again.

Luckily, there are some people in Brevard County who truly care for the wellbeing of these families and are working to make a difference that results in reunification.

Brevard Family Partnership is a nonprofit organization committed to protecting children and strengthening families. However, these people can’t do it alone and are looking for the support of the community to step up by becoming licensed foster parents.

To help spread awareness, BFP has launched a “Unique Foster Opportunity” campaign.

“When I started five years ago, we were at 500,000 in population,” said Phil Scarpelli, president of BFP. “You know, we’re over 625,000 now. In the next three to five years, we could top a million. It’s great for economic growth and development but with the percentage of the population there will be kids needing us. We’re ready for that charge.”

To read full article please click here Hometown News

The post Unique Foster Opportunity appeared first on Family Partnerships of Central Florida.

Brevard Family Partnership celebration adoption ceremony at the USSSA Space Coast Stadium in Viera

Viera Voice by Jill Blue

Several home runs were hit Nov. 18 at USSSA Space Coast Stadium in Viera as the Home Run Forever — Celebration of Adoption was held for the third consecutive year at the former spring training baseball site.

“It’s such an accommodating and beautiful place to celebrate this grand day,’’ said Phil Scarpelli, the CEO of Brevard Family Partnership. “What’s more precious than to celebrate the adoption of a child before the holidays? November also is the national month for adoption nationwide.’’

The event, sponsored by the Brevard Family Partnership, Camelot Community Care, Guardian Ad Litem, Judge Kelly McKibben and the 18th Circuit, Family Allies, and Together We are One, celebrated the unification of children with their forever families.

To read more click here: https://www.vieravoice.com/community/home-for-the-holidays—happy-times-highlighted-at-celebration-of-adoption/article_2ea216ee-70c5-11ed-ad5c-9baa38b0823c.html

The post Home for the Holidays appeared first on Family Partnerships of Central Florida.

BFP CEO and President, Phil Scarpelli and Sean Kostelnik, BFP Foundation Board Chair

Brevard Business News by Ken Datzman

Established in 2021, the Brevard Family Partnership Foundation has been actively engaging the community through philanthropic events. On New Year’s eve, for example, the organization hosted “Over The Edge,” an event where participants rappelled down the side of the eight-story Hilton Melbourne.

To read complete article click below:

BBN-031323 bfp

The post Brevard Family Partnership Foundation engaging the community through philanthropic work appeared first on Family Partnerships of Central Florida.