By Francesca Passeri, Esq.
Count your blessings. My mother taught me that gratitude is a virtue that must be cultivated. Our lives are busy and it is easy to fail to appreciate all of the gifts that we enjoy daily without much thought. Most of us are not concerned about having a place to sleep, enough food or being able to care for our children. Without a support network of friends and family, life’s bumps can put parents in the position of worrying about how they will provide the basic necessities of life for their children. A struggling parent may, in some circumstances, put their children at risk of being abused and neglected. Safe Families for Children was created to divert families facing a short-term crisis from intervention by the state child welfare system. The organization is based on the idea of neighbors helping neighbors.
A parent in a crisis situation (job loss, homelessness, incarceration, or medical emergency) can voluntarily put their children in the care of a host family. During the time the host family is caring for the children, the parent can have the breathing room to resolve their issue. The host family may also act as a support person or mentor to the parent even after the children are reunited. Because the placement is voluntary, parents can visit their children at mutually arranged times and end the hosting when they feel ready for reunification. The Florida Department of Children and Families makes more than half of the referrals to Safe Families with the goal of avoiding a need to bring children into the foster care system. Host families receive training and the guidance of the local program coordinators.
The average hosting period is 42 days as compared to 278 days in foster care. The cost of hosting a child through Safe Families is also significantly less than the cost of caring for a child in foster care. Volunteers are needed to host children, provide donated resources to help a family get back on their feet, and to act as a family friend or coach. The rewards to the volunteers are many and the families are very appreciative of the compassion and support they receive during their time of greatest need. To learn more about this important community resource or to obtain information on volunteer opportunities, call (239) 470-2733 or visit the website at http://naples.safe-families.org.
Francesca Passeri, Esq.
Francesca Passeri practices in the areas of residential and commercial real estate transactions, zoning and land use matters and real estate related litigation. Ms. Passeri received a B.A. in Theater Arts from the University of Iowa (1988) and graduated with distinction from the University of Iowa College of Law in 1995. Ms. Passeri worked as a sole practitioner in Tipton, Iowa until 2004.
She is a member of The Florida Bar (Real Property, Probate & Trust Law Section). She is also a member of the Collier County Bar Association, Collier County Women’s Bar Association, Iowa Bar Association, and Cedar County Bar Association. She has volunteered extensively for the Iowa Legal Services Volunteer Lawyer’s Project and Florida Attorneys Saving Homes. Ms. Passeri has been recognized by Legal Aid of Collier County for her efforts on behalf of the Collier County Foreclosure Task Force.
Salvatori, Wood, Buckel, Carmichael & Lottes
239.552.4100 | www.swbcl.com