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When life unravels, finding hope can feel impossible. Yet, every day in Sarasota, Manatee, and DeSoto counties, families facing their hardest moments find someone standing beside them, someone who believes in their future, even when they can’t see it yet. That someone is Safe Children Coalition (SCC).
The organization’s theme for 2026, “Reimagining the Future,” reflects exactly what SCC does best: helping children and families in crisis see that a new chapter is still possible. “Just because families find themselves involved in child welfare does not mean they can’t reimagine the outcome,” said Jacqueline House, SCC’s Vice President of Communications & Community Engagement. “That’s what our 300 staff members do every day, helping children rebuild.”
“Just because families find themselves involved in child welfare does not mean they can’t reimagine the outcome,” said Jacqueline House, SCC’s Vice President of Communications & Community Engagement. “That’s what our 300 staff members do every day, helping children rebuild.”
As the community-based care agency for Florida’s Circuit 12, SCC provides foster care, adoption, and prevention services for more than 10,000 children and families each year. Their mission reaches far beyond what government contracts fund. Private donations and community partnerships make it possible to go the extra mile, whether that means a safe place to sleep, a ride to counseling, or a mentor who won’t give up.
And those “extras” can change everything.
House recalls a mother who, after losing custody of her children, fought the system at every turn. “She was angry and didn’t trust anyone,” House said. “But over time, she realized that the only way to get her children back was to work with her case plan, and she did.” That same mother is now reunited with her children and is helping others walk the same difficult road she once faced.
Her story is one of hundreds SCC witnesses every year, stories of healing, courage, and the quiet power of second chances.
SCC has faced its own challenges, too. Hurricanes, staff shortages, and the emotional toll of child welfare work have tested the organization’s resilience. With the help of a Barancik Foundation grant, SCC invested in trauma-informed training and innovative tools like the Predictive Index to strengthen recruitment, staff wellness, and long-term planning. “We’re building not just a workforce,” said Brena Slater, SCC President and CEO, “but a community of caregivers who are equipped and supported to do this important work.”
That commitment to care extends to SCC’s next major project, a new 9,000-squarefoot Youth Shelter, designed to give up to 200 children aged 10 to 17 each year a safe, welcoming place to stay when home isn’t an option. With Phase 1 of the $9 million Capital Campaign now complete, SCC is launching Phase 2 and inviting the community to help bring this vital resource to life.
“My goal for 2026 is to see the Youth Shelter move into its new space so it can help more kids,” said House. “This is a community project, built by local generosity for local children.”
Safe Children Coalition isn’t just another nonprofit. It’s part of the foundation of this region, a safety net woven by neighbors who believe that every child deserves a chance to thrive and every family deserves the opportunity to start over.
On Giving Tuesday, December 2, 2025, and every day of the year, you can help SCC continue reimagining the future for children and families right here at home. Donate online at sccfl.org/donate, or join as a sponsor for the 4th Annual Giving Breakfast on March 26, 2026.
Because when we invest in our children, we invest in the future of our community — and together, we can make sure that future shines brighter for everyone.