Help Us
Prevent. Protect. Provide.
Learn more about our impact by helping some of the most vulnerable children
Florida is
In US for foster
care population
Since 2004, Suncoast Voices for Children has filled critical gaps in the child welfare system across Florida’s Sixth Judicial Circuit. When the agency responsible for foster care collapsed, children were left without basic necessities, stable placements, or consistent advocates. In response, Guardians ad Litem Donna Gaffney and Sandra Killian founded Suncoast Voices to ensure no child would fall through the cracks.
Operating out of donated space, with the assistance of an operating grant from the Eckerd Family Foundation and a generous donation from a sponsor, SVC began providing for the needs of children through referrals from case managers, Guardians ad Litem and Child Protection Investigators to respond quickly when a child is in crisis.
Our goal is to meet urgent needs right away—often before a child enters foster care. Keeping families safely together, when possible, leads to stronger long-term outcomes. Kids who grow up in foster care face much higher risks of homelessness, poverty, poor health, and involvement with the justice system. That’s why we focus on preventing foster care when we can, and when we can’t, we make sure kids have what they need—not just to get by, but to feel safe, supported, and still have a chance to be kids.
In our early years, we launched a state-requested pilot program to support teens transitioning out of foster care. In partnership with the Guardian ad Litem Program, we served 83 teens—many without prior advocacy in court or the system. The program’s success led to its expansion across other Florida circuits as the Transitioning Youth Program.
In 2006, we broadened our focus on younger children. Working closely with Child Protective Investigators (CPIs) from the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, we became a key partner in child abuse investigations. That year, we helped CPIs keep 98 children safely with relatives instead of entering foster care. To this day, we’re the only organization in Florida offering this kind of early intervention.
As we grew, we prioritized long-term stability—bringing in experienced leadership, strengthening operations, and building sustainable funding. Without receiving any state or federal support, we launched our annual fundraising gala in 2016 to continue meeting urgent needs.
In 2020, we expanded to meet the evolving needs of older youth. As a certified site for the Opportunity Passport program, we now help young adults aging out of care build financial literacy and stability. And through the acquisition and rebranding of Raising Hope into Style Voiced in 2022, we operate clothing closets providing immediate access to the essentials that kids need.
Nearly 3,500 children each year and the Board of Directors and Leadership Team has over 300 years of combined experience serving at-risk and abused and neglected children as judges, advocates, teachers, nurses and mentors.
Whether we’re providing necessities, financial support, or simply a moment of normalcy, our goal is the same: to show every child we serve that they matter—and that they’re not alone.
See how you can make a difference in the world for generations.
Providing urgently needed items and support to help meet the basic physical, psychological, educational and social needs
Contact Wendy Woolley at wwoolley@suncoastvoices.org or download our sponsorship packet to learn more about becoming an event sponsor.
