FLORIDA KEYS CHILDRENS SHELTER INC

The Florida Keys Children's Shelter provides a safe and nurturing environment for children in crisis and works to empower youth to overcome the challenges they face. We believe every child deserves the chance to succeed.

While all sites of FKCS are nationally recognized as a "safe place", the current divisive political climate in our state has complicated our efforts to reach, help, and support children more than ever before. We have made it a priority to expand our team in Key West to meet these current challenges. For example, our “Project Lighthouse” drop-in center in gives street youth - many who identify as LGBTQ+ - a safe place to go for resources, guidance, and care. Our team regularly searches for runaway youth, conducts assessments that include medical and housing requirements, and hand out free survival kits to those in need. "Project Lighthouse" is open daily, with varying hours on weekends. Homeless and runaway youth can receive help connecting with family or local services, get a meal, wash clothes, take a shower, get on a computer, or play one of the many musical instruments available in the common room. Weekly activities include life skills workshops, movie nights, market days, and art classes. All our services are completely free and available regardless of gender, religion, or race. Our commitment to the ideals
of diversity, equity, and inclusion can be witnessed not only in our programs like “Project Lighthouse” but also within the culture and environment at FKCS. An important part of our five-year strategic plan, we prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, gender, religion, sexual orientation, ageism, national origin, disability, genetic information, or pregnancy, as outlined by federal, state, or local laws.

The Florida Keys Children's Shelter is highly capable of providing quality care, preventative services, and coaching. For over 35 years, FKCS has been operating the only licensed emergency shelter for unaccompanied minors in Monroe County; every year we serve over 500 youth. We have made a difference for thousands of families in the Florida Keys. The Florida Keys Children's Shelter is accredited with the Council on Accreditation, and regularly audited by the Department of Juvenile Justice and Department of Children and Families. We are one of 29 agencies of The Florida Network of Youth and Family Services, Inc. (the Florida Network) providing services to prevent juvenile delinquency and encourage good choices and healthy family relationships. FKCS also works closely with Monroe County Schools, the Monroe County Sheriff's Office, and myriad nonprofit, for profit, and government organizations. The Florida Keys Children's Shelter is financially solvent and receives regular annual funding from multiple revenue services including federal, state, county and private grants.

Now in operation over 35 years, the Florida Keys Children's Shelter serves more than 500 youth annually. The confidence in our good work is demonstrated by continued renewal of our county, state, federal, and private grants which require strict reporting on both numbers served and quality of service. Monroe County Commissioners entrust the Florida Keys Children's Shelter each year with one of its top three largest grants among approximately 30 human services agencies funded annually; the Keys Children's Foundation gives its biggest grant to the Florida Keys Children's Shelter each year, supporting our programs for over three decades. FKCS's effectiveness in preventing juvenile crime equates to substantial cost savings for the county and state, with a nearly $5.50 return for every dollar spent on quality prevention programs for at-risk youth. A dollar invested today is multiplied in the future for Florida Keys children and families. The FKCS Team is currently operating under its 2022-25 Strategic Plan, with benchmarks monitored at each monthly board meeting. Priorities for improving the scope and quality of our care include: incorporating new coaches specializing in recreation, life/job skills and education; managing new initiatives to reduce staff turnover; enhancing the outreach and programming of our community-based counselors; and extending our transitional living program for youth who age out of our current residential programs to the Upper Keys.