Staff at Boys' Home Association Family Services in Arlington recently recognized foster parents during National Foster Care Month. The goal of the effort is to step up foster parent recruitment and applaud foster parents who take care of Jacksonville's abused and neglected children.

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About 100 building-construction management students at the University of North Florida used their knowledge from the classroom to help repair the Jacksonville Boys Home Nov. 4.

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In addition to Hawkins' award, Robert Brown accepted an award presented to District 2's (Arlington/Beaches) Boys' Home Association Family Services. The award read: "The Boys' Home Association Family Services has been providing food, shelter and guidance to 'wayward boys' since 1914. It has become a 'neighborhood center' and provides a wide range of support for families. This has opened their campus to organizations such as Horse Sense and Sensibility and the Arlington YMCA and for picnics and meetings of numerous community groups."

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It's a little gift to keep them high and dry -- or maybe to ensure they have it made in the shade.

Boys' Home Association Family Services recently presented each of its foster families with a gift to show appreciation during National Foster Care Month. The Arlington-based foster care agency received a $500 "product boost" from one of the nation's largest promotional-products distributors.

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The Sontag Foundation has awarded grants totaling $208,000 to four charities, including $96,000 to Barnabas Center in Nassau County as a three-year commitment to assist in the provision of medical care to financially underprivileged people through Samaritan Health Clinic.
Boys Home Association Family Services was awarded $63,000 for its program designed to provide foster children with skills needed to live independently.
The foundation also made a $24,000 grant to The DePaul School for a new educational program to enhance the reading and writing skills of their students with learning disabilities and the St. Johns Housing Partnership, which was awarded $25,000.
The Sontag Foundation supports medical research in selected fields. Since 2002, The Sontag Foundation has awarded more than $12 million in grants.

It's all done in secret and no one is allowed a peek at the holiday surprise till the time is right.

No, it isn't Christmas presents.

It's the elaborate Christmas decorations done at the Boys' Home beside Jacksonville University on University Boulevard North.

According to Wendy Laino, vice president of agency advancement for Boys' Home Association Family Services, the staff does it furtively each year, concealing each new holiday theme behind stage curtains until the dramatic unveiling at the annual campus Christmas party.

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The system worked

The Boys Home Association is a social services agency that has long cared for Jacksonville's children who have been abandoned, abused or neglected.

Along with those from other agencies, Boys Home workers and attorneys appear before me on a weekly basis. In addition, Boys Home President Rob Brown and I are in frequent contact with each other informally on any number of issues affecting foster care and services for our children.

I have always found Brown to be collaborative, available to the court, responsive and very committed to the needs of our children.

Recently, it was reported that Boys Home Association hired a registered sex offender to work with children. While that makes for an intriguing headline, the impression it leaves is not wholly accurate. Boys Home followed standard protocol and conducted a fingerprint check on a new hire, while this individual was in training.

While I am not at liberty to publicly discuss any case pending in our court system, others should know that the person in training was never in contact with children. He attended a few training classes off site from the Boys Home Association campus, but children were not exposed to him.

The point that should not be missed is that the system worked. Our children are safe.

Boys Home Association and other partners of our community-based care provider, Family Support Services, do not often hear praise for the good work they do for our children.

As a juvenile court judge, I observe firsthand each of the agencies. With limited resources, the agencies do a remarkable job for our children.

Boys Home Association should be congratulated for its diligence and concern for our children.

Boys' Home Cookbook Dedication (November 19, 2005)

She's always had just the right recipe for cooking up smiles -- oh, and a few thousand tasty meals as well.

Annie Boston has been a cook at the Boys' Home beside Jacksonville University since 1974. "Miss Annie," as she's called, is so beloved that when the staff decided to create a cookbook, it took roughly a nanosecond to decide to whom it should be dedicated.

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Foster Care Month observed (May 14, 2005)

Nearly 600 foster parents and children enjoyed a patriotic theme and lots of entertainment for all ages at the Boys' Home Association Family Services' recent 28th annual barbecue.

The event, held at the agency's campus on University Boulevard North near Jacksonville University, shows appreciation to board members and donors, and also has become an opportunity to thank foster parents for their commitment to children in need and to raise public awareness of National Foster Care Month.

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