Place of Hope for children in crisis

So often we want to help.

We just don’t know how.

Or where.

Consider Place of Hope.

Place of Hope is a faith-based, state licensed children and families organization offering housing and support services designed to end the cycles of abuse, neglect, homelessness, poverty, and human trafficking. Place of Hope has five locations throughout Palm Beach County and along Florida’s Treasure Coast.

Place of Hope on Today's Paige, the podcast

“When we started, we were helping abused kids who were being removed from their biological families at least temporarily for endangerment. We would then get them to a home with a healthy family and often they would get adopted,” said Place of Hope Founding CEO Charles Bender.

Over time, Place of Hope quickly expanded its reach.

According to the organization, there are estimated 2,250 children under Florida’s Department of Children and Families’ supervision in Palm Beach County and along the Treasure Coast and about 50 children are removed from their homes in the area each month.

“Fortunately and unfortunately we had to grow into a lot of different arenas and areas, those kids aging out of foster care that need a place - they need a transition. Pregnant teenagers in our community that have no place to go. Human trafficking survivors that are throughout all of our different programs. And now a big one for us is outreach to families who take their own relatives in. They take them in just as we all would want to do, but might not have the resources to help. And then there’s the transitional housing side for us,” added Bender.

Place of Hope has served more than 20,000 children youth and families and kept more than 600 sibling groups together. The team has found more than 360 forever families for foster children through adoption and 300 youth who would otherwise be homeless have found a place to call home through Place of Hope’s Villages of Hope program.

“I think that we are offering… hope. We often talk about giving kids a hand up versus a handout and I think that that’s something that we’ve done very well for over 20 years now. We serve kids who are in the foster care system, those that have aged out those that might be otherwise homeless and the statistics tell us that the chances are not good for success. If they age out of the system or they turn 18, about 65% of them end up incarcerated. They get into illegal behaviors. They might become pregnant and the cycle just continues over and over. So I think that our programs are comprehensive wrap-around services. Our guidepost really is just to help them transition more successfully to become independent young adults,” said Place of Hope Director of Advancement, Lisa McDulin.

There are many ways to help and support Place of Hope. The organization welcomes volunteers, financial support and donations. Place of Hope’s Shade Tree Outreach Program welcomes collection drives and drop offs as well. New or gently used baby and child clothing and items like diapers, wipes, pack and plays, car seats can be dropped off Monday - Friday at the Paxson location at 9078 Isaiah Lane, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33418. Click here for more information.

Place of Hope at The Leighan and David Rinker Campus in Boca Raton will soon host Harvest, the organization’s 9th Annual Hope Bash Boca presented by Michelle and Michael Hagerty. The event will take place at the Boca West Country Club on Saturday, November 5. The Napa Valley inspired gala and dinner event will feature live music, dancing, and an auction in South Florida. Sponsorships are available now and individual tickets will go on sale until August 15.

For event information or to donate new items to Place of Hope and the children and families Place of Hope serves, click on the links below.

Place of Hope (Boca Raton campus)

Place of Hope