Since opening our doors in 1977 as Manatee County’s first and only emergency shelter for abused children in foster care, our organization has grown into a comprehensive child advocacy agency serving more than 12,000 children and families each year. What began as a single safe haven has evolved into a full continuum of care designed to meet children and families at every stage of crisis and recovery.

Today, we deliver an integrated spectrum of prevention, intervention, treatment, and residential services. From early education and positive parenting programs that stop abuse before it starts, to trauma-informed therapy and crisis response for children who have already experienced harm, our work addresses both immediate safety, long-term healing, and preventing child abuse. Every program is rooted in evidence-based practices and guided by the belief that every child deserves safety, stability, and the opportunity to thrive.

Our residential services continue to reflect our pioneering spirit. Our group homes were the first in Manatee County to operate under formal state approval, and we are uniquely authorized by the Florida Department of Children and Families to serve youth who have experienced human trafficking. These homes provide more than shelter: they offer stability, trauma-informed care, therapeutic support, and a clear path toward healing and independence for some of our community’s most vulnerable children.

For nearly five decades, we have stood at the intersection of protection and possibility: responding in moments of crisis while building stronger families for the future.