Emergency relief grant goes to families helping young relatives

Through its partnerships with the Humana Foundation and The Community Foundation of Broward, ChildNet recently received a $20,000 emergency relief grant in an effort to provide funding for the care agency’s youth and families.

With 3,800 foster youth and families in the ChildNet system, the emergency funding will be distributed to biological and relative families of children involved in the foster care program. The financial assistance will help families pay for housing costs, food, utilities and other essential needs.

“The grant is one of several that the Community Foundation of Broward has issued in a response to the emergencies related to the COVID-19 pandemic,” ChildNet CEO and President Larry Rein said. “In ChildNet’s particular case, we operate the foster care system. This grant, however, is for the youth that doesn’t live in foster homes.

“Not every child that gets involved in an abuse case goes to a foster family,” Rein said. “Some live with relatives or neighbors under the supervision of ChildNet. These funds are to predominately

Larry Rein

support those families. Those are the families that are really struggling.”

Selected by the Florida Department of Children and Families, Fort Lauderdale-based ChildNet serves as the community-based care lead agency in both Broward and Palm Beach counties. The agency’s mission is to protect abused, abandoned and neglected children in the community.

Due to the pandemic, ChildNet was forced to postpone two of its largest fundraisers, causing the agency to miss out for the time being on crucial donations. With no future dates planned, ChildNet is looking for alternative donations.

Visit childnet.us.

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