Heartland for Children
is all
about kids
PHOTO BY MARY CANNADAY
Teri Saunders, Chief Executive Officer of Heartland for Children, points out the features of a mural painted in the agency's hallway last Summer by several girls from the Youth Villa. Each girl painted a leaf of the tree in her own style, and a leaf at the top bears the names of all the artists.
PHOTO BY MARY CANNADAY
This leaf at the top of a colorful mural in the hallway of Heartland for Children bears the names of the girls from the Youth Villa who painted the tree, flowers and individualized sayings on each leaf. Heartland is the lead agency for child welfare and protective agencies in Polk, Highlands and Hardee Counties.
PHOTO BY MARY CANNADAY
This leaf at the top of a colorful mural in the hallway of Heartland for Children bears the names of the girls from the Youth Villa who painted the tree, flowers and individualized sayings on each leaf. Heartland is the lead agency for child welfare and protective agencies in Polk, Highlands and Hardee Counties.
PHOTO BY MARY CANNADAY
Teri Saunders, Chief Executive Officer of Heartland for Children, points out the features of a mural painted in the agency's hallway last Summer by several girls from the Youth Villa. Each girl painted a leaf of the tree in her own style, and a leaf at the top bears the names of all the artists.
After the Bradley McGee tragedy in 1989, where a 2-year-old toddler was killed by his father in a potty-training incident, who would have thought that by 2012, Florida would receive the fourth highest ranking nationwide in caring for at-risk kids?
It’s true. Florida went from 16th in 2006 to fourth place in the most recent assessment by the Foundation for Government Accountability. They ranked near the top in rapid response to abuse claims, visiting kids monthly, return of foster children to their biological families when safe to do so, ensuring short stays in foster care, and finding permanent “forever families” for foster children.
