Imagine waking up and wondering where you will sleep tonight. Will it be in a car, on a friend’s living room floor, or crammed into a tiny motel room? Imagine being hungry and not sure when or what your next meal will be. Imagine the people around you talking about their exciting weekend plans or their newest possessions and feeling even more isolated in your situation.

Prior to the creation of the Homeless Children’s Foundation (HCF) in 2015, homeless kids in our community fell between the cracks and went unseen. They were frequently exposed to high levels of stress and uncertainty which is often exacerbated during the summer and holiday breaks when the daily structure and meals from their school are no longer available. The mission of HCF is to fund and coordinate programs for homeless children to not only enable their healthy development and long-term success, but also to guide their families to self-sufficiency. HCF offers local homeless children scholarships for summer and school break camps, after school programs, and enrichment activities.

Thanks to the generosity of Impact 100 and the community’s support, HCF’s Compassion in Action: Camps Enriching the Lives of Homeless Youth initiative provided 282 children the opportunity to attend summer camp at no charge to their families in 2024. Each summer, HCF partners with more than 20 different camps, offering a variety of options to suit the child’s age, behaviors, and individualized needs.

The Impact 100 grant allowed for the enrollment, placement, and camp tuition for 15 homeless children to attend 10 weeks of summer camp. The funding from Impact 100 also covered meals and items needed for the campers to participate fully in all activities, such as swimsuits, towels, and water shoes. The Impact 100 grant benefited the children in numerous ways. Many of these children learned new skills, such as how to swim, skate, fish, and play tennis. Others enhanced their creativity and explored artmaking techniques or went on nature walks. Campers enjoyed a secure, structured environment that fostered friendship, resiliency, and character building. This experience pays out dividends and represents a critical investment in their futures.

While children are attending programs, their parents can continue to work. Prior to HCF, parents had to leave their children alone and unsupervised or quit their jobs each school break. For those parents who were seeking employment, HCF Case Managers assisted them. HCF staff also provided parents with resources, budgeting guidance, and housing options to help them obtain and sustain permanent housing. According to the Florida Department of Education, there were 567 homeless students in Indian River County during the 2022-2023 school year. In 2023, HCF served 430 children, with 80% of those families having at least one working parent. Notably, with the support of HCF’s programs, 13 families transitioned into permanent housing and now have a place to call home.

After 10 successful weeks of summer camp, each of the 15 children funded by Impact 100 received a new backpack filled with age-appropriate school supplies to help them start the year prepared and equip them with the necessary tools to be successful in the classroom.

Our team at HCF is incredibly grateful to have the support of the women at Impact 100. We are humbled by your generosity and deeply touched by your shared commitment to support Indian River County’s most vulnerable population. Thank you again for all Impact 100 does for our community and for our children!