Guardian Foundation Inc

Children in the Dependency System have been taken from their parents due to neglect, abuse and/or abandonment.  They are either with relative/nonrelative caregivers or in foster care while the courts can determine if they parents can rectify their lives and be safe and responsible parents.  If they parents cannot make the appropriate changes and the court deems that the children would be in harms way to reunite the children and parents, the children are available for adoption/permanent guardianship, but often remain in the foster care system. 

The Guardian ad Litem Program advocates for the best interest of these children.   The Guardian Foundation, Inc. is a not for profit that provides enrichment opportunities for these children.  They have rarely had normal childhood experiences including even free opportunities like school field trips or being able to participate in extra curricular activities at their schools.  In general, the aspirations for these children are low because they have no frame of reference for anything but low income jobs. They have not had an opportunity to be shown possible other alternatives opportunities such as attending college (either a college degree or certificate programs). 

We are the Eighth Judicial Circuit Guardian Foundation, a 501(c)3 not for profit corporation established to provide these resources, not provided by state funding, to Guardian ad Litem volunteers and the abused or neglected children represented by the Guardian ad Litem Program to provide normalization to the lives of those children.

In addition, volunteers save the State of Florida $40 million in salaries and benefits.  It would take over 964 full time employees to do the work of these volunteers.
Our circuit currently provide services to over 558 children.

GAL volunteer contributions are priceless. Picture: John Donis and Curleesha.  John has been a volunteer  to 14 children since 2008.  He says he feels privileged and honored to be an advocate for them.  Each of them has enriched his life in so many ways.

Please support us in our efforts to help children. We thank you and look forward to continuing to serve our community.