'Better Together' keeps families united, kids out of foster care

Through Better Together's family program, parents can temporarily place their children with a background-checked volunteer family while they get the help they need.

A PROGRAM DESIGNED TO KEFAMILIES UNITED...THROUGH BETTER TOGETHER’S FAMILYPROGRAM, PARENTS CAN TEMPORARILYPLACE THEIR CHILDREN WITH ABACKGROUND-CHECKED VOLUNTEERFAMILY WHILE THEY GET THE HELPTHEY NEED...FOX 4 SANDRA RODRIGUEZ SPOKEWITH THE NON-PROFIT WHO SATHEY HAVE SEEN AN INCREASE INNEED DURING THROUGHOUT THISCORONAVIRUS CRISIS..."There’s always going to be aneed for foster care but forthose families who just needthose supportive services, needsa little bit of time, we’re hereto help them and get themconnected to host families thatcan help."BETTER TOGETHER IS A NON-PROFITORGANIZATION IN SOUTHWESTFLORIDA... HELPING FAMILIES INNEED SINCE 2015"We have our hosting programwhere we have vetted volunteerhost families that are able tocare for children short-termwhile their families work tonavigate their crisis orsituation."BETTER TOGETHER’S GOAL IS TOKEEP CHILDREN OUT OF THE FOSTERCARE SYSTEM AND KEEP FAMILIESUNITED"Some of the reasons we hostkids is for families that arehomeless, dealing with domesticviolence, medical emergencies."LAROSE SAYS AN AVERAGE STAY FOA CHILD IN THEIR PROGRAM IS 41DAYS, COMPARED TO AN AVERAGE OF567 DAYS IN FOSTER CAROVER 18-HUNDRED KIDS HAVE GONETHROUGH THIS PROGRAM AND IT HASA 96-PERCENT SUCCESS RATE OFKEEPING CHILDREN OUT OF THEFOSTER CARE SYSTEM"The difference is that we havesomeone that works directly withe parent while the kids areplaces with us to ensure thatthey’re meeting their goals andthey are providing them withthat support needed."WHILE PARENTS CAN VOLUNTARILYREACH OUT TO BETTER TOGETHER FORHELP━ THE NON-PROFIT DOES WORKWITH THE DEPARTMENT OF CHILDRENAND FAMILIES"60-percent of our referralscome from DCF."THE FAMILIES REFERRED BY DCF ARETHOSE WHO DON’T WARRANT THESTATE’S INTERVENTION...LIKE IN THE CASE OF KRYSTAL ANDHER 1-YEAR OLD SON JACK"DCF came across Krystal andJack, and Britney the CPInoticed that she was a lovingmom, she’s a great mom but sheneeds some support."KRYSTAL RECENTLY MOVED TOSOUTHWEST FLORIDA FROMPENNSYLVANIAIMPACTED BY THE COVID-19 CRISISAND WITHOUT ANY SUPPORT━ SHETURNED TO BETTER TOGETHER FORHELP"Krystal needed time to gethousing for her and her son, shewas staying in just a temporaryhome that wasn’t appropriate forher and her child."RIGHT NOW JACK IS WITH AVOLUNTEER HOST FAMILY, WHILEKRYSTAL IS WORKING TOWARDSFINDING THEM A PROPER PLACE TOLIVE"During this time, she’s beenable to visit with her son, shedoes daily visits everyTuesday."LAROSE SAYS THEY’VE SEEN ANINCREASE IN NEED OF 155-PERCENTSINCE THE START OF THE PANDEMICAND ARE LOOKING FOR MOREVOLUNTEER HOST FAMILIES TO FILLTHE NEED..."The process is very simple,it’s one-night training, we do abackground check, and we do ahome visit of their home, it’susually a two to three-weeprocess.FOR MORE INFORMATION ON