When Lauren pulled the numbers, she couldn’t have been happier with what she saw.

Lauren Cook, Operations Manager for the Children’s Board Family Resource Centers, constantly hears stories about clients who are benefiting from the variety of services offered in her program.

But seeing the actual numbers behind the stories on her monthly report was astounding.

So, she wrote a letter to team members to share the news:

“[In November] alone, you provided 4,151 services to 1,606 Center Members. Since October 1, 2020, you’ve provided 51,696 services to 10,751 people,” Lauren shared. “I am thankful to be a part of something so much bigger than myself. I am thankful to see my team advocating for the children and families in their community…”

The Family Resource Center is a collaborative of various organizations dedicated to helping families and children in Hillsborough County. A few of the ways they show up for their community include:

• coordinating (free!) visits from the mobile medical clinic powered by St. Joseph’s Baycare, where clients receive immunizations, physicals, and vision and hearing screenings
• providing academic support for young children, including assistance with sight words and mathematics support
• connecting clients with job opportunities and resume-writing resources

… and so much more.

Lauren recalls the story of one woman with two children under ten who was living in her car. The woman arrived at the Center without a job and a place to live and was in desperate need of support and direction.

The team went to work right away, and after helping the woman build a professional resume, they were able to connect her with a job opportunity … and housing!

There are thousands of stories just like this one, and it’s a testament to what is possible when people seeking help are connected with resources that change their lives.

While the Children’s Board Family Resource Center never gets caught up on numbers, it’s certainly encouraging to see just how many people are being helped by this small but mighty team!

To learn more about the Center, visit their website. And if you want to directly contribute to the cause, visit Lutheran Services Florida’s website to donate today.