Families First: Strengthening Families Since 1990
The year 1990 was tragic for children in Palm Beach County. The local headlines chronicled deaths due to child abuse, and saw a loud public cry to punish mothers whose babies were born drug addicted. But, in a small corner of the county, a new organization was born with high hopes of preventing child abuse, not just stepping in after it had occurred. Then known as Children’s Case Management Organization, what is now, 27 years later Families First of Palm Beach County was thrust into existence by a dire need to help families with medically fragile infants find support services for them and their babies.
Two years later, in 1992, Julie Swindler, MSW, was promoted from a case manager to chief executive officer, a position she still holds today. She, her board, and staff realized they needed to fill gaps in services if they were going to make a dent in the shocking child abuse statistics and heal families. So they set about doing things differently, and indeed, they have changed those statistics and made a positive difference in the lives of more than 37,000 children and their families since 1990.
Families First of Palm Beach County began with a small staff and limited budget, but by its 25th anniversary, had grown into a highly successful organization with a well-managed $4.2 million budget that pays for six programs in one of Florida’s most diverse counties, a place where abject poverty and a host of social issues, including child abuse and addiction, live in the shadow of one of the nation’s most affluent communities.
As Families First of Palm Beach County has grown over the past 27 years, so has the need for its life-changing assistance. You can support this organization in a variety of ways, from a one-time gift to an ongoing investment in its future, by donating online.