The two new homes will triple the organization’s capacity to provide families raising children with developmental disabilities a much-needed break
JAFCO recently broke ground on two new respite homes at the Children’s Ability Center, a comprehensive center serving children ages birth through 22 with any developmental disability. The homes will allow parents and caregivers a much-needed opportunity to relax or spend quality time with friends and family, knowing that their child is safe.
With JAFCO respite services, parents are able to drop their child off for a few hours, an evening, a full day, weekend or even a full two weeks during the year. The new homes will each be able to hold six children, each with a private bedroom and bathroom. There is also a common space with a full-sized kitchen and living area.
“As members of the JAFCO Children’s Ability Center family, our commitment to our families is that we will be at their side for their parenting journey of a child with special needs,” said JAFCO Executive Director Sarah Franco. “With the addition of two new respite homes, we can not only give more families a break, but we can also give more children a place where they can feel like they belong.”
The JAFCO Children’s Ability Center services hundreds of children and families each month, offering them a beautiful, clean and fun place where children can be safe and feel like they belong. Services include assessment, enhanced case management and referral, social skills and life skills training, after school enrichment programming, support groups for parents, siblings and grandparents, a summer camp and family fun days.
The first respite home opened with the construction of the Ability Center in 2014. Since then, over 600 children have used the day and overnight respite. Nine children who have endured abuse and neglect in addition to having a developmental disability have also used the respite home as their home for anywhere from one week to over a year until a more permanent placement could be found for them.
“To triple the number of children and parents we can reach, extending our hands and our hearts to these incredible families, is truly what happens on this campus each and every day,” said JAFCO Trustee and Construction Committee Chair Stewart Greenberg.
The two new homes were made possible thanks to long-time JAFCO supporters Joan and Leslie Berman and Jerry Lindzon, who stepped up with two individual gifts of $1 million each. The Jim Moran Foundation also funded the first year of operations for each of the two new respite homes.
The groundbreaking ceremony was held at the Children’s Ability Center on April 30. The homes are being built by CKA Construction Group and are expected to be completed by Spring 2022.
ABOUT JAFCO
JAFCO is a 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization established in 1992 to provide services to abused and neglected children and those with developmental disabilities in South Florida.
