The online hub is designed to connect Florida families in need to local faith institutions and community organizations eager to help

Tallahassee, Fla. – On Monday, August 31, during the Department of Children and Families’ (DCF) virtual 2020 Child Protection Summit, Governor Ron DeSantis and First Lady Casey DeSantis announced MyFloridaMyFamily, an online hub of resources established in partnership with the Governor’s Faith and Community Based Initiative and the Department of Children and Families. Using technology from Aunt Bertha and CarePortal, the website will serve as a gateway to connect Florida families in need to local faith institutions and community organizations eager to help.

“It’s only natural that Florida’s faith-based community would step up to fill in the gaps in our child welfare system – MyFloridaMyFamily just makes it easier for them,” said Governor DeSantis. “I look forward to seeing how they will use this new, innovative technology to support families all over the state.”

“As a mother of three young children, I want Florida families to be able to get the help they need quickly, and most importantly, without facing seemingly endless obstacles,” said First Lady Casey DeSantis. “MyFloridaMyFamily allows for just that, and eventually, through Florida’s Foster Information Center, it will enable prospective foster parents to hear firsthand testimony about the rewards and challenges of taking on this life-changing responsibility.”

Beginning later this month, the MyFloridaMyFamily website will also direct interested visitors to the newly-established Florida’s Foster Information Center, a hotline staffed with current or former foster parents who can answer callers’ questions based on their own experiences and provide information about fostering one of the 23,000 children throughout the state who are currently in out-of-home care.

“In Florida, we’re blessed to have more than 20,000 faith institutions that serve their communities every day,” said Erik Dellenback, the Governor’s Faith and Community Based Liaison. “My team and I could not be more excited about MyFloridaMyFamily and Florida’s Foster Information Center, as they will both allow faith leaders to mobilize their congregations and deploy resources to help meet the needs their neighbors and local families who may be struggling.”

MyFloridaMyFamily is the product of a lot of thoughtful collaboration, and it’s the long-overdue fulfillment of a pretty obvious need,” said DCF Secretary Chad Poppell. “I’m grateful to the Governor and his team, as well as the First Lady, for getting this project off the ground so we can better serve Florida families and help more children find stable, loving homes.”

MyFloridaMyFamily harnesses the helping power of local faith and community-based organizations who stand at the ready to support children and families across Florida,” said Erine Gray, Founder & CEO of Aunt Bertha. “This is life-changing work and we’re incredibly grateful to be a part of building toward that collective vision of safe, stable, and thriving families.”

What the leadership is doing in Florida is cutting edge. Connecting people in need with those that want to help in real time,” said Adrien Lewis, CarePortal Chief Innovation Officer. “I’m excited to see the Church and community at large serve the most vulnerable like never before. And, I hope to see other states follow their example.

For more information about MyFloridaMyFamily, please visit www.myfloridamyfamily.com.

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