ST INS CARES-4KIDS of SWFL-Homes, Hope, And Healing

A home for every child sounds simple until you see the real barriers: empty pantries, unstable housing, and trauma that follows kids into every new placement. We sit down with Karlene Masse, Partner Engagement Officer from 4Kids Southwest Florida to unpack how prevention, foster care, and therapy fit together to keep children safe and help families heal.

We start with the ground game of prevention. Through the CarePortal, caseworkers flag urgent needs so community partners and churches can deliver beds, food, clothing, and utilities support before a child is removed. When removal is necessary, 4Kids handles licensing and training for Christian foster families and works hand‑in‑hand with DCF and the Children’s Network to align placements with reunification plans. Karlene clarifies the crucial difference between fostering and adoption, the timelines birth parents navigate, and how decisions shift when families can’t safely reunify.

Then we dig into healing. Children in foster care face elevated PTSD risk, so 4Kids offers EPIC trauma therapy that addresses emotional, physical, intellectual, and character needs—often at no cost. Therapists coach foster parents and biological children on co‑regulation, routines, triggers, and trust‑building so homes are calmer and progress sticks. With 28 active foster families, 15 in the licensing pipeline, and new PRIDE cohorts underway, the team is scaling capacity while keeping stability high through the Family Advocacy Ministry—volunteers who run meal trains, babysit for respite, and handle practical needs that prevent burnout.

If fostering isn’t your path, there are still meaningful ways to move the needle. Become a Defender at a dollar a day. Sponsor events as a business. Host a donor night to rally your network. Every action keeps therapy hours open, expands training seats, and fills the gap left by limited state funding. Ready to help a child sleep safer tonight and a family stand stronger tomorrow? Follow the show, share this conversation with a friend, and leave a review so more people find it.

4KIDS of SWFL
Karlene Masse
Partner Engagement Officer
KarleneM@4KIDS.us
239-483-8533
4kids.us

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