FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 21, 2004 
CONTACT: Bill Spann (850) 488-4855

DCF Partners with Communities to Deliver Hurricane Relief Supplies

Tallahassee -- Florida’s Department of Children & Families, in partnership with several statewide and local organizations is delivering much needed hurricane relief supplies to families with foster and adopted children who were affected by Hurricanes Charley, Frances, and Ivan.

The Department of Children & Families has partnered with the Florida Coalition for Children and The Salvation Army to ensure the availability of disaster relief supplies including diapers, infant formula, dry cereal, baby food, and Boost nutritional supplement and other relief supplies.

The supplies are being shipped directly to the areas needing relief the most. Businesses, school boards, hospitals, and other community partners are providing transportation, warehouse space, and distribution points. The disaster relief supplies are being provided by the Salvation Army.

“In many parts of Florida, the children who need us most, now need us more than ever,” said DCF Interim Secretary Lucy Hadi. “Florida’s community and faith-based organizations such as Florida’s Coalition for Children and The Salvation Army are making a big difference in the lives of these children.”

To date, more than 250 pallets of supplies have been shipped to six different locations throughout the state. During the next few days, hundreds more pallets will be delivered, bringing supplies to more than 20,000 families.

“These deliveries do more than bring baby food and diapers,” said Ann Bernard, Director of Families First Network in Pensacola. “These deliveries ease the minds of our foster and adoptive parents while helping to fill the physical needs of the children in their care.”

In addition to Florida’s Coalition for Children and The Salvation Army, partners in the relief effort include: DCF District Offices in Pensacola, Panama City, Tampa, Sarasota, Ft. Myers, West Palm Beach, Wildwood, Ft. Pierce and Orlando. Community Based Care Organizations in the affected districts:

Families First Network, Pensacola
Partnership for Families, Panama City
Big Bend Community based Care, Tallahassee
YMCA Children, Youth & Family Services, Sarasota Hillsborough
Kids, Inc., Tampa
Children’s Network of SW Florida, Ft. Myers
Child and Family Connections, West Palm Beach
Kids Central, Inc., Orlando
United for Families, Port St. Lucie, and
Community Based Care of Brevard County,
Winter Park St. Lucie School Board, Port St. Lucie
Southern Supply, Ocala
Paul’s Marine, Panama City
Baptist Hospital, Pensacola
W.S. Badcock Corporation, Mulberry
Worldwide Dedication Services, Mulberry
R.E. Garrison Trucking, Cullman, Alabama

DCF, and its partner organizations, have pledged to continue assistance throughout the recovery period.

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