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Backpacks
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Lunch Boxes
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Water Bottle
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School Supplies
"For the school fundraiser, let's jointly activate the dalle tool."
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WHO WE ARE
In Lake and Sumter County over hundreds of children are taken from their homes and placed in foster care each MONTH.
Of these children:
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Less than 60% will graduate from high school
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Over 20% will become homeless after age 18
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25% will end up in the criminal justice system by age 24.
Lake Sumter Families (LSF) was formed in 2000, a 501-c-3, was formed to address these staggering statistics and address the needs of children in care. In collaboration with Kids Central, LSF provides an integral tier of support that goes beyond the basic needs of wellness and safety. This coordinated effort provides a comprehensive approach to addressing the outcomes from abuse and neglect.
The hallmarks of our program, educational support, personal development, and life-skills guidance target the areas essential to changing a child’s direction from poverty, crime and government assistance so that they can better become independent, contributing members of our community.
The Facts:
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A child enters foster care every two minutes.
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More than 430,000 children and youth are in foster care on any given day.
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Most kids in care (61%) enter the system due to neglect.
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The average child in care is about 8 years old.
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Children spend, on average, 20 months in care.
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Kids in care are predominantly white (44%) or African-American (23%).
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One in every five kids in care is Hispanic or Latino (of any race).
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More than 117,000 children and youth are waiting to be adopted.
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Nearly half (45%) of kids in care joined a household of non-relatives for their most recent placement.
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More than half (55%) of kids in care are seeking to reunite with their main parent or caretaker, according to their care plan goal.
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WHO WE SUPPORT
LSF serves children in foster care ages 0-23 who are living with foster families, relative and non-relative families, and foster youth living in group homes or transitional homes.
Youth must be case managed out of Lake or Sumter County or living in a surrounding county, but case managed out of a different county. For those under 18, there must be an open and active case with the Department of Children and Families.
Local Sponsors
GET INVOLVED
CURRENT NEEDS
One of our goals is to ensure that the most vulnerable and at-risk groups in Lake and Sumter County are safe and have their basic needs taken care of.
With your generous donations and volunteering efforts, you have the capacity to help us in our endeavor of Clothing Drives. Contact us to learn more.
SCHOOL SUPPLY
DRIVE
One of the main reasons Lake Sumter Families was founded in 2000 was to compensate for Central Florida's struggles with providing school supplies. We’ve dedicated a lot of man-hours and invested countless resources to this charitable cause, and hope you’ll help us continue this work. See how you can by contacting us below.
Want to learn more about ways you can get involved? Contact us today.
CONTACT US
Get in touch with Lake Sumter Families to discover more about our work and how to donate. We thank you for your support.
Ph. 321.436.7852
Fax 352.394.3689