Brookwood Florida Inc

In 2017, Brookwood marked 90 years of providing residential care for girls diverted by abuse, neglect, homelessness, or family dysfunction.  Our 40-bed campus in St. Petersburg accommodates girls between the ages of 13 through 20 who urgently need our program in order to prepare for self-sufficiency and/or successfully reunite with their families.  Our agency is nationally accredited by the Council on Accreditation (COA).  COA accreditation attests that Brookwood meets the highest standards in delivering its residential treatment program to the community it serves.  In 2017, 139 girls called Brookwood home.

TERRI:  Terri was born to a drug addict who worked as a prostitute to support her drug habit.  She offered Terri and her other children to her "tricks."  After Terri's mother disappeared one night, never to return, the children were scattered in foster care and Terri was placed for adoption.  The pattern of abuse continued with her adoptive parents who tried to beat "the badness" out of her and authorities were notified.  She entered the Brookwood program as a shattered young lady and required intensive counseling.  Terri completed her GED and is now an aerobics instructor.

MELANIE:  Her only memory of her mother was when her father shot and killed her.  She was 4 at the time; by 5 1/2 her alcoholic father was sent to prison and she and her four brothers were placed in foster homes. At 14 Melanie was adopted but she found it impossible to adjust to a family setting.  She was abandoned at 16 by her adoptive family and she came to Brookwood.  Melanie completed her GED and an assistant nursing program and works as a CNA.

 ROSE:  While stopping at a Dairy Queen for ice cream, her mother sold Rose into sexual slavery.  Rose was 12 years old.  The man who bought her used her for maid service, physically and sexually abused her.  She was taken into State custody and placed at Brookwood at the age of 16.  Rose  completed her GED and attended a VocTech.  She is a police officer in Georgia and is married with one daughter.

LATANYA:  Did not attend school, lived with the farm animals; neglected and suffered from cultural deprivation (did not know how to wash her hair or brush her teeth). She was "re-parented" by Brookwood's staff.  Latanya graduated from High School and St. Petersburg College.  She works for the County School System with emotionally handicapped children.  

PAT:  Emotionally abused; repeatedly told she was ugly, fat; frequently locked in a room because she was considered an embarrassment.  She was left at a homeless shelter.  Eventually brought to Brookwood.   Pat graduated from USF with a B.A. in Communications.  She works at a Tampa Bay area radio station.

TONI:  Emotionally abused by her adoptive mother and blamed for younger sister's death.  She arrived at Brookwood with indescribable anger and distrust, creating an intense road to recovery.  Toni graduated from Flagler College and is a Trauma Nurse at a Tampa Bay area hospital.  She is married with two boys.

KIM:  Sexually abused by an older brother; prostituted by her mother to support a drug habit.  She found a "home" in Brookwood.  Kim graduated from High School and USF and is now a journalist.

TORI:  Came to Brookwood at the age of 13 after being removed from an abusive home.  Prior to Brookwood, she lived in several group homes but continued to run away rather than risk being returned home.  She stopped running when she came to Brookwood, which she describes as the place that "taught me to feel good about myself."   Tori attended nursing school.  She is Office Manager at a medical center and is married with two sons. 

CRYSTAL:  As a young adolescent, after her father was imprisoned, Crystal moved to Florida from Delaware with her step-mother.  Before long her step-mother returned to Delaware, leaving Crystal alone in St. Petersburg to fend for herself.  She entered Brookwood's program at 15, dealing with severe abandonment issues.  Crystal received a B.S. degree and a Master's in Mathematics.  She finished her Ph.D in Mathematical Physics.  Crystal became Mathematics Chairperson at a private academy and has two young adopted daughters.

It costs Brookwood an average of $150 per day per girl.  

                       Please help us help the girls!  

ANY donation goes a long way! Our very needed goal is $5,000

MISSION STATEMENT  501(c)(3)

BROOKWOOD FLORIDA, INC. IS DEDICATED TO PROVIDING TROUBLED ADOLESCENT GIRLS WITH AN ALTERNATIVE LIVING ENVIRONMENT AND THERAPEUTIC PROGRAM ENCOMPASSING EDUCATION, EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS, INDEPENDENT LIVING TRAINING, AND COUNSELING THAT WILL PREPARE THEM FOR SELF-SUFFICIENCY OR A SUCCESSFUL FAMILY REUNIFICATION.