The mission of Friends of Children of Brevard is to improve the lives of the abused, abandoned and neglected children of Brevard County and to support their advocates, the Guardian ad Litem Program.
Friends of Children is an established nonprofit organization that financially assists abused children in Brevard County who have been removed from their home due to unsafe conditions resulting from abuse, abandonment and/or neglect. Brevard County has approximately 700-1,000 of these vulnerable children. Many of these children leave home unexpectedly and are placed with a relative, family friend, or neighbor. These interim caregivers may not have the financial means to sufficiently provide for these children in a manner that provides normalcy. Those that are not placed with relatives or friends are placed in foster care or a group home where there is even less normalcy. When these vulnerable and traumatized children have unmet needs Friends steps in, routinely disbursing funds for clothing, underwear, shoes, diapers, car seats, strollers, holiday gifts and even beds. Friends is also committed to providing children in the care and supervision of the court with the same summer break activities provided by intact families, including attending summer camp.
General Support — Friends steps in to meet immediate needs for foster care children as they transition to new living arrangements, including providing clothing, bedding, shoes, diapers, and other personal items they are lacking. To apply for funding for a child in care, please complete a Funding Request located on the Resources Tab on our website
Funding Requests — Requests may be made when financial hardship is created for the caregiver in providing for the child’s need. All requests should support a child’s needs or provide for a normalcy experience. When your assigned children has unmet needs you can make a request for funding though our website. We frequently disburse funds for items such as beds, clothing, basic needs, and normal childhood activities. Items can be purchased by Friends and shipped directly to the child. When items can not be purchased or paid for online, checks can sent directly to the volunteer, who is responsible for providing receipts for the items purchased for the child. To apply for funding for a child in care, please complete a Funding Request located on the Resources Tab on our website. As long as a child is assigned to the Guardian ad Litem program and the case is open, we will consider the request for funding. Children in any types of placement, including foster care are able to receiving funding. The circumstances for each child and family are taken into consideration when deciding whether to fund the request. Our committee will ask questions as needed and consider each request on an individual basis. Questions? Contact Kathy Matson or Debbi Smith at (321) 690-6823 or send us an mail@
Birthday Club — As part of our commitment to our children and their normalcy, Friends provides a birthday card along with a $25 gift card for nearly 700 children annually - each child appointed to the Brevard County Guardian ad Litem program - for their birthday. Sometimes we’re the only ones who are able to give them a little gift to remember their special day. You can request a $25 gift card for the children in your cases, up to a month before or after their birthday. You can choose from a variety of different gift cards. The gift card can either be mailed to you or brought to the GAL office for you to pick up. (Office pickup has been suspended until the office reopens.) And you don’t need to submit a receipt. It’s that easy!! Children in any types of placement, including foster care are able to gift cards from the Birthday Club. To request a gift card for your child's birthday, please complete a request on the Resources Tab of our website. Questions? Contact Susan Weeks at (321) 690-6823 or send us an mail@
Summer Camps — Friends is committed to providing children in the care and supervision of the court the same summer break activities as what is provided by intact families; these vulnerable children deserve access to normal childhood activities, camps, swimming, sports and more. Due to COVID-19, many summer camps may be limiting the number of attendees and may have to cut back on some dates. If you have children who are interested in going to camp, please request funding for summer camps and activities though the Friends of Children website. Funding requests can be located on Friends website under RESOURCES. Friends of Children is happy to send kids to camp, but please make sure dates and times are available so we can follow up quickly to get them registered. We will try and register children online. Due to COVID-19 concerns, please discuss summer camp plans with the caregivers, your case manager and CAM prior to sending in a request. To learn more about possible summer camps throughout Brevard county visit: https://fun4spacecoastkids.
Educational Support — Friends provides tutoring and homework help for children in need as well as necessary school supplies, books, materials, special classes, etc. To request this type of support, please use our funding request form on the Resources Tab on our website.
Diapers — We have received donations from generous people who have donated packages of diapers plus Similac formula and wipes though our Amazon wish list. If you have children that are in need, we can get these items delivered to the caregivers home with no contact. Children in any types of placement, including foster care are able to receive diapers. Our process is to leave the packages of diapers at the door and ring the doorbell or knock. There is no physical contact. To request diapers, email Friends of Children the following information: child’s name, diaper size, caregiver's name, phone number, address (for delivery), guardian’s name and phone number and your CAM's name. You do not need to complete a Funding Request for diapers. Please keep in mind, these diapers are for struggling families. Questions? Contact Debbi Smith at (321) 690-6823 or send us an mail@
Holiday Project —Many times children assigned to the Guardian ad Litem program are in danger of not receiving gifts during the holidays due to the financial limitations of their caregivers and that is when Friends of Children steps in. We find local businesses, organizations and individuals willing to donate holiday gifts to our children and we match these donations to our children’s specific wishes. Annually, Friends of Children of Brevard provides holiday gifts to foster care children, which in 2019 included collaborating with more than 50 business partners to donate gifts for more than 770 children. Here is how you can help us provide holiday gifts to your children: In September, speak with your children or young adults who are in jeopardy of not receiving holiday gifts due to financial constraints. A online form will be available on the Friends website in early October for you to enter up to 4 gift requests for a child. Please do not “promise” anything to the child . . . this is a wish list. Angel Tree Gift cards listing a specific gift request are delivered to our sponsor businesses and are displayed on Angel Trees. People throughout our community purchase gifts and return them to a sponsor business. Gifts are picked up from each sponsor business, brought to our distribution store front and sorted by CAM/Guardian/Child for delivery to caregivers by each VCA. If we do not get the exact gift for a child, we may substitute from extra gifts we receive. Guardian ad Litem and Friends volunteers help with the gift sorting and ensure all requests are complete in early to mid December. Children in any types of placement, including foster care are able to receive holiday gifts from us. Contact Kathy Matson at (321) 690-6823 or send us an mail@
Courtroom Bookshelf — Reading is so important, so next time you are at court for a case please check out the wonderful new children's bookshelf outside the dependency courtroom. Come visit our free children’s library at the courthouse. Don't forget to take a book for your children if you would like or encourage them to take one if they are in court. This is a great way to promote literacy to our kids while they are waiting in dependency court.
Quilts and Blankets —Local sewing groups often donate quilts and blankets to Friends of Children. We give these items to our volunteers for their assigned children. Contact us if you would like a blanket for your child.
Summer Bridge Books — Once again, Friends of Children will be providing Summer Bridge Books to Guardian ad Litem assigned children. These are available from Pre-K through 8th grade and are a great way for student to “bridge” from one grade to another. With activities to do on a daily basis, Bridge books keep the children involved in a small amount of academic activity each day. Currently, we will ship the books directly to the child. If you would like to request a Bridge Book for your assigned child, please email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. the following information: name of child, mailing address of child, your name, your phone number, your address (if book need to ship to you instead of child), name of your CAM, and the level of bridge book requested (eg, Pre-k, Kindergarten to 1, 1-2, 2-3, 3-4, 4-5, 5-6, 6-7, 7-8) Questions? Contact Debbi Smith at (321) 690-6823 or send us an This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Duffle Bags & Suitcases — If your child is moving, we have a supply of duffle bags and donated suitcases. We often receive donations of care bags with toiletries and other items for children coming into care. Contact us if your child is in need of a duffle bag or suitcase.
Guardian ad Litem Volunteer Appreciation Event- Our appreciation event is typically held in April each year. We have postponed the 2020 event and plans are underway to reschedule this event for the fall.
General Support — Check out our website for information on volunteer training, rap sessions, staff listings, frequently used documents, and past issues of the Guardian ad Litem newsletters.
How You Can Get Involved
- Come to a Friends of Children board meeting. Our board meeting are held on the third Tuesday of each month at 6pm. We have currently suspended our in-person meetings and our meetings are being held on Zoom.
- Volunteer on a Committee. We are always looking for help for one of our projects such as the Holiday Project or the Superhero Run.
- Volunteer for an Event.
- Pass along information on possible grants, sponsors, donors that might help support our mission
Stay Connected
- View our website: FriendsOfChildrenOfBrevard.org
- Email us: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
- Call us: (321) 690-6823 (GALP office)
- Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BrevardFriendsofChildren/