The Kiwanis Club Supports a K9 Unit

A child welfare organization, Hope Children’s Home (hopechildrenshome.org) provides housing and education to kids in need of rescue. Hope Children’s Home is affiliated with professional organizations such as the Florida Association of Christian Child Caring Agencies, and other nonprofits, like Kiwanis International, a global community that aims to improve the lives of kids.

The Kiwanis Club of Martin County, in Florida, recently implemented a fund-raising initiative for the Martin County Sheriff’s Office. This initiative was inspired by the death of Cigo, a police dog, who was shot and killed in December 2019 while chasing a suspect. The passing of the dog deeply affected students in the club’s youth-sponsored programs, so the club reached out to the Sheriff’s Office about donating bullet-proof vests for its police dogs, or K9s, and raising money for the canine unit.

Officer Ryan Pearlman informed the club that the dogs had bullet-proof vests already. What the unit actually needed were donations to buy K9 training equipment, like muzzles, bite suits, special leashes, and harnesses.

The Kiwanis Club of Martin County took swift action and began contacting clubs at the schools that it works with, including Key Clubs and K-Kids Clubs, as well as the Builders Club at Stuart Middle School. After watching a demonstration of the K9 unit, the clubs began raising money for the necessary donations via such projects as bake sales and the sale of Support the Canines pins.

Due to these efforts, the Canine Unit received $2,000 in donations for training supplies before the COVID-19 pandemic brought everything to a halt. The Florida Kiwanis Foundation also gave the Kiwanis Club of Martin County two grants to further support its work.

Humility & Admitting Mistakes As Parent

Hope Children’s Home (hopechildrenshome.org) is a Tampa, Florida-based nonprofit organization that has provided board and care for children in need for over a half-century. In the article “8 Ways to Win Your Child’s Heart,” Hope Children’s Home executive director Dr. Mike Higgins draws on his three decades of experience in ministering to teens and children and serving as a licensed counselor.

One of the primary points he stresses is that respecting and honoring children is essential. This involves giving sensible praise when they have earned it. At the same time, parents should place themselves at the child’s level and try to understand their perspective.

If you are a parent, it’s important to realize that there is not always a definite right or wrong for every situation. What often wins over a difficult or unruly child is the sense that you are truly listening, even if your opinions differ.

In addition, it’s important to understand that there is no perfect being and that parents make mistakes, too, more frequently than we would like to admit. When you have lost your temper or said something that you later regretted, the best tactic is to face your child and admit that you were in the wrong. Refrain from the tendency to employ words that shift or lessen the blame, such as “if” and “but.” Not only will this humble approach win your child’s heart, but it will set a positive example of taking responsibility for your actions.

 

Humility & Admitting Mistakes As a Parent

Hope Children’s Home (hopechildrenshome.org) is a Tampa, Florida-based nonprofit organization that has provided board and care for children in need for over a half-century. In the article “8 Ways to Win Your Child’s Heart,” Hope Children’s Home executive director Dr. Mike Higgins draws on his three decades of experience in ministering to teens and children and serving as a licensed counselor.

One of the primary points he stresses is that respecting and honoring children is essential. This involves giving sensible praise when they have earned it. At the same time, parents should place themselves at the child’s level and try to understand their perspective.

If you are a parent, it’s important to realize that there is not always a definite right or wrong for every situation. What often wins over a difficult or unruly child is the sense that you are truly listening, even if your opinions differ.

In addition, it’s important to understand that there is no perfect being and that parents make mistakes, too, more frequently than we would like to admit. When you have lost your temper or said something that you later regretted, the best tactic is to face your child and admit that you were in the wrong. Refrain from the tendency to employ words that shift or lessen the blame, such as “if” and “but.” Not only will this humble approach win your child’s heart, but it will set a positive example of taking responsibility for your actions.

 

Hope Children’s Home in New Mexico

Offering care and shelter to needy children in the Tampa, Florida, area, Hope Children’s Home (www.hopechildrenshome.org) is a Christ-centered child welfare organization. In addition to its Florida location, Hope Children’s Home has grown over the years to encompass campuses in Honduras and New Mexico.

Launched in 2018, the New Mexico home in Clovis encompasses 17 acres and has completed Phase One of its expansion plans. Equipped to care for as many as 16 children, the organization hopes to accommodate more than 60 children after all phases of its renovation and construction activities are complete.

The New Mexico home thrives on the support of volunteers and community members who are united in caring and faith. The specific daily needs of the campus can be accessed by visiting HopeChildrensHome.org. They include basic food items such as fruits and vegetables, canned goods, and lunch meats, as well as cleaning supplies. Hope Children's Home relies on the generosity and support of others. 

Speaking & Listening to What Children Say

Headquartered in Tampa, Florida, Hope Children’s Home provides a positive Christian atmosphere to children facing challenging life situations. Hope Children’s Home is overseen by Dr. Mike Higgins, the executive director and a longtime licensed counselor..

In a February 2021 article published on HopeChildrensHome.org, Dr. Higgins emphasizes the importance of showing honor and respect toward young people in one’s charge. This is reflected in forms of expression that are peaceable, gentle, and imbued with mercy.

This fair and balanced approach is detailed in the book of James in the Bible, which includes examples of how to speak wisely and persuasively to not only adults, but to people of all ages. One way to utilize this message is to subject your conversations to the “James” test, particularly when emotions run high and tempers flare.

Another aspect of this is embodied in James 1:19: “Let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak.” The application of this aphorism entails making the effort to listen to your children when they converse with you. Take time to ask the right questions about what is unclear and allow them to express their feelings, even if your instinct is that they may be misguided. Only by fully understanding your children’s thoughts can you be a positive force in their lives.

Hope Children's Home’s

Hope Children's Home (hopechildrenshome.org) is a Christian-centered child welfare organization that provides housing and education to children in need. In addition to its headquarters in Florida, Hope Children's Home operates a campus in El Progreso, Honduras, that was established in 2011 and that offers a safe and loving environment within a region of extreme poverty.

In 2020, the El Progreso campus welcomed a second pair of house parents, Bayron and Diana. Their arrival enabled the campus to attain a long-held goal of opening a second cottage and welcoming even more children to learn and grow. Also providing critical support are mission groups that travel to Central America and volunteer at Hope Children's Home for several days to one week at a time.

Beyond on-site volunteer support, the Honduras location welcomes donations in the form of funds that are used each week to purchase essentials such as food and household items. In addition, the El Progreso team is actively seeking donations to obtain supplies for Braun Cottage, kitchen utensils, a pressure washer, and LEGO sets.

Dr. Mike Higgins Speaks about Hope Children's Home’s Purpose

Headquartered in Tampa, Florida, Hope Children's Home (hopechildrenshome.org) serves a vital role in the community in providing a caring environment that supports the needs of children who have been abused, neglected, or abandoned. Dr. Mike Higgins, the executive director of Hope Children's Home, appeared on the Christian Television Network program Bay Focus and delved into his organization’s mission and purpose.

As Dr. Higgins sees it, the children under his organization’s care are not there through any fault of their own. Rather, they come from families faced with alcoholism, drug addiction, and incarceration, as well as situations in which the parents need help. As many as 80 children at any given time are housed and educated, ranging from infants to high school students.

One of the more noteworthy aspects of the organization is its 55-acre campus, which encompasses boys’ and girls’ dormitories. In addition, Dr. Higgins conceptualized Cottages of Hope, which are tailored to the emotional needs of babies and small children, particularly sibling groups. Two of these cottages were built in 2012, and two more were added in 2017, reflecting an increased need for such small-setting family-type environments. 

The Growth of Hope Children’s Home

For more than 50 years, Hope Children’s Home in Tampa, Florida, has provided shelter, care, and a loving Christ-centered environment for youth who have been abandoned, neglected, and abused. A faith-based alternative to foster care, Hope Children’s Home aims to keep siblings together in order to create a sense of normalcy and support.

In an episode of the Christian Television Network’s program Bay Focus that looked back on the organization’s success at the time of its 49th anniversary, executive director Dr. Mike Higgins discussed how the nonprofit has grown over the decades. Originally set up to focus on the needs of older children and teens, the shelter and its Hope Christian School now serve youth of all ages ranging from infants to high school students. Dr. Higgins also mentioned his organization’s emphasis on helping the young people that it works with as they enter adulthood. He and his team do everything in their power to assist graduating high school seniors who choose to attend college.

In a 2017 interview with Bay Focus, Dr. Higgins talked about the organization’s expansion of its housing to include the Cottages of Hope at its Tampa campus. These cottages offer a warm, family-like atmosphere for sibling groups under the care of "house parents" who are available around the clock.

Residents of Hope Children’s Home have occasionally appeared on Bay Focus alongside Dr. Higgins. A pair of siblings living in one of the cottages described their experiences, which included playing, cooking in the kitchen, and going on “family vacations” as a group.

The organization, which is dedicated to reuniting families whenever possible, seeks to provide children with the warmth and encouragement of a genuine family. To learn more or to send a donation to support Hope Children’s Home’s many activities and programs, visit HopeChildrensHome.org.

 

How Environment Impacts Child

A child welfare organization, Hope Children's Home (hopechildrenshome.org) serves children from infancy to 18 years of age. Based in Tampa, Florida, Hope Children's Home has rescued nearly 5,000 kids since its founding in 1968.

Social environments - which encompass social relationships, physical surroundings, and community resources - play an integral role in the development of children. Good physical surroundings are important because they improve the overall health of children. Frequent moving makes developing supportive social relationships difficult, and poor education facilities lead to few job opportunities and prospects

Community resources have a two-fold effect on children. Resources help adults become better parents. Adults can find the support they need to properly care for their kids and gain a stronger understanding of the caregiving their children need. Kids, meanwhile, receive support from the community so they are not solely reliant on their parents.

Finally, a child’s social relationships enforce healthy behavior and improve their sense of belonging. This and other factors that impact a child’s environment help prevent school readiness deficits, language development issues, and behavioral problems.