Children's Home Society has operated in Florida since 1902, making it one of the oldest nonprofits in the state. Its focus is child welfare: adoption, foster care, early childhood development, family preservation, and programs for young people aging out of foster care. This page covers how to become a foster parent through CHS and where donations do the most good.
Florida has a significant foster care population, and Children's Home Society is one of the few organizations in the state with the scale to run comprehensive wraparound services around it. That means the work does not stop at placing children with families: CHS supports families before a crisis through family preservation programs, runs early childhood development services, handles adoption, and stays involved after placement.
One program deserves particular attention: support for young adults who age out of foster care. Every year, some Florida teens turn 18 in the system without a family to return to. CHS runs programs for this group, including a scholarship fund that donors can give to directly.
Fostering is the most direct way to help through this organization, and Florida consistently needs more foster families. CHS licenses and supports foster parents rather than leaving them to navigate the system alone, which matters because the licensing process involves training, a home study, and background screening.
If you have considered it, start with the information at chsfl.org. You do not need to own a home or be married; requirements center on providing a stable, safe environment. The process takes time, so beginning the conversation early is worthwhile even if you are a year away from being ready.
CHS accepts donations designated to specific programs, which is not true of every large nonprofit and is worth using. The scholarship fund for young adults who aged out of foster care is a concrete option: it funds education for people starting adult life without family financial backing.
General donations support the full range of child welfare work, from family preservation to adoption services. Give through the official site at chsfl.org, where current program designations are listed.
Standard practice for any major gift: confirm 501(c)(3) status through the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search at apps.irs.gov, review the organization's Charity Navigator rating, and file away written acknowledgments for donations of $250 or more.
Sources: Children's Home Society of Florida official site (chsfl.org); our Florida charity guide research. Retrieved July 2026. We are not affiliated with Children's Home Society of Florida and receive no compensation for this listing. Spotted an error? [email protected]
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