Coalition For The Homeless

Coalition for the Homeless is the largest residential facility for children in Central Florida. Last fiscal year we provided nearly 52000 nights of shelter for children. Nearly one out of every three people we serve is a child with a current average age of 10.

The Coalition has created a wide variety of services for children to meet the needs of the growing number of children who call the Coalition home.

Child Development Program
Founded in 2004 the Child Development Program was created to provide more services to a growing number of children at the Coalition each day. Through a grant by the Dr. Phillips Foundation a licensed child psychologist was brought on staff.

Every child who comes through the doors of the Coalition is assessed by the child development team. Children participate in play therapy using specially designed dolls houses board games and activities.

The child development team also coordinates group sessions for different age groups and interacts with parents offering parenting support classes.

Child Development Services
The Coalition’s child development services recognize the unique struggles faced by children experiencing homelessness. Through its child advocate and network of partner providers in the community staff works to address the most critical issues facing our youngest clients such as self-esteem behavioral problems social skills and stigmas about homelessness. The goal is to help children improve their emotional health and help them their siblings and their parents develop more stable nurturing family environments.

When identified as a child who may be “at risk” or “in-crisis” youngsters aged 4-17 are referred to the child advocate and/or one of our partner provides for assessment individual and family counseling and other developmental services.

Therapeutic children’s activities weekly peer group counseling sessions and parenting workshops are also instrumental in bringing young clients out of precarious situations and into stabilization.

Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten (VPK)
New in 2008 the Coalition now has a free Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten Program (VPK) for four-year-old resident children. Certified and monitored by the state Office of Early Learning VPK provides individual attention through small class sizes and quality education with an early literacy focus.

Boys & Girls Club
Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida is the only shelter in the nation with an on-site Boys & Girls Club.

Boys & Girls Clubs of America comprises a national network of some 3700 neighborhood-based facilities annually serving more than 4.4 million children.

Known as The Positive Place for Kids the Clubs provide guidance-oriented character development programs on a daily basis for children 6-18 years old conducted by a full-time professional staff. Key Boys & Girls Club programs emphasize character and leadership development education and career development health and life skills the arts sports fitness and recreation.

ABCs Program
Art By Coalition Children (ABCs) is a volunteer-based program that pairs professional artists in the community with children living at the Coalition for art classes.

The ABCs program began in October 2003 as collaboration between the Coalition and volunteers representing Central Floridas art business and education communities.

Artists work with the kids to create a wide variety of art from black and white photography to sculpture and painting.
Additional Services:
Full Day Half Day Drop In Infant Care Food Served

Child Ages:

4 years - 17 years

Licenses & Accreditations:

Florida Department of Children and Families

Preschool:

Yes

Hours of Operation:

Monday_Friday 7:00 AM - 6:00 PM