Churches as Champions for Children

Did you know there are over 6,000 children in the foster care system in the Tampa Bay area?

Many of these children live a life reaching for someone to love them, share with them and enjoy the simple things that many take for granted. A collective group of organizations have come together to champion the cause of these children.

Laurallyn Segur, Director of Licensing for Eckerd Community Alternatives

“These children don’t choose their parents nor their circumstances. They deserve a better tomorrow. Our community can help by being role models and giving them hope. Collectively, we can make a difference, said Laurallyn Segur, director of licensing for Eckerd Community Alternatives and a 30 year ambassador for child welfare.

The collective initiative of the organizations now working together is called Churches as Champions for Children. It is an initiative of Eckerd in partnership with One Church, One Child of FL, Heart Galleries of Pinellas, Pasco & Hillsborough, Directions for Living, Lutheran Services Florida, Youth & Family Alternatives, Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas and Safe Families for Children.

The initiative is designed to identify and partner with churches in an effort to find foster and adoptive homes for all foster children in the Tampa Bay Area. Pastors, churches and organizations are invited to a free luncheon to discover the many ways that you can connect and become a champion for children. The luncheon is Feb. 11, from 11:30am – 2:00pm at the St. Petersburg Marriott 12600 Roosevelt Blvd. N., St. Petersburg.

Partner churches will be known as Church Champions and will receive a tool-kit of resources to help in recruiting foster and adoptive families, as well as information on helping provide much-needed resources for foster children. Church Champions are churches that commit to helping children find a foster or adoptive home, as well as providing much-needed resources to children  in foster care.

“Every day I wake up with a charge to protect lives of innocent children from abuse, neglect and help them heal. Finding families for them makes a big impact. We never know which child will be the future president, discover the cure for cancer, and become a teacher, pastor or parent. It’s my life purpose, said Segur.

For information on becoming a partner in “Churches As Champions” or to RSVP for the luncheon, contact Diane Johnson 727-456-0600 Ext. 2085 or djohnson@eckerdeca.org.