Current U.S. and Florida foster care

Foster care statistics as of 2008

Awareness toward the plight of orphaned children and youth living in foster care is of critical interest to Ark of Hope For Children. We are providing the following as the most current U.S. and Florida foster care and orphan statistics available to Ark of Hope.

Children and youth in foster care 2008 * 

• 463,000 children live in U.S. foster care *
• 273,000 entered foster care *
• 285,000 left foster care *
• 123,000 waiting to be adopted *
• Roughly 30,000 foster children live in Florida *
• Foster children often bounce between 4 to 6 homes per year 

• 52% Male   48% Female
• 40% White/Caucasian   32% Black   19% Hispanic   9% Other
• 28 months = Average stay in foster care
• 8.1 yrs old = Average age of children in foster care
• 4.9 yrs old = Average age when removed from original home
• 24.9 average moths in care before termination of parental rights
• 14.5 additional months until children were adopted

Siblings in foster care 

• 68% of foster children have 1 or more siblings (brother/sister)

Only 30% of siblings are able to live together in foster care

3 years after “aging out” of foster care

• 20,000 youth annually "age out" of the system at 18 years old
• Estimated 70% of U.S. prison populations are ex-foster children
• Up to 60% have experienced homelessness
• Estimated 70 to 75% end up in prostitution, on drugs or dealing drugs

Adoption from U.S. foster care 2006  

• 89% of children adopted from care received adoption subsidies in 2006
• 1/2 of all foster children become available for adoption
• 129,000 await adoption into "Forever Families"
• 72,000 awaiting adoption for 2 or more years
• 8.1 yrs old = average age of children awaiting adoption from foster care
• 6.6 yrs old = average age of children adopted from foster care

* The “rules” for removing children from abusive homes has changed to stem the influx of so many children and too few quality homes. While the positive goal is this move is to provide more in-home services to the family in an effort to keep children at home, the negative results are that the children entering the foster care system are the most severely abused and in need of intentional and knowledgeable intervention.

Child Abuse Statistics 

• 1,530 children died from abuse in the U.S.
• 78% of abuse fatalities were from birth to 4 yrs old
• 75.9% of abuse was perpetrated by one or both birth parents

** The rate and severity of abuse and neglect increases as the economies of the world worsen which will unfortunately be reflected in these numbers over the next five to ten years. 

Child trafficking estimates 2006  

• 293,000 estimated U.S. victims of child sex trafficking ***
• Of the 450,000 yearly U.S. runaways 1 of 3 are lured into prostitution ***
• 600 to 800,000 estimated worldwide victims of child trafficking every year ***
• 143 Million orphans worldwide

*** It is nearly impossible to estimate the number of children and youth that are victims of child trafficking for the purposes of sex, prostitution, child pornography and/or child labor.

The mission of Ark of Hope For Children

Ark of Hope For Children will house and care for domestic orphans (previously abused and neglected children) in our faith based inter-denominational community of homes through-out North Central Florida. Ark of Hope For Children is a mission based umbrella organization that will provide comprehensive care for orphans and foster children. Our unique programs will be aimed at providing care for children and youth from birth through 23 years old.

Ark of Hope’s Residential Care and Administrative Directors, foster parents, support staff and volunteers will meet every child's needs with Christ-like love. All will oversee the physical, emotional and educational needs of the children and youth. We will be a safe haven for previously abused and neglected children to experience unconditional love, emotional healing and encouragement. Our programs will equip and empower them to handle the challenges of their past and build hope filled futures.

Ark of Hope For Children has a comprehensive plan of action focusing on specific areas to bring hope and stability to the at risk children and youth in our care. They need our help NOT because they are bad kids, but because they live in a system that perpetuates the emotional abuse due to the high numbers of children and the low numbers of available bed space, quality foster homes and social workers to handle the load.

Ark of Hope’s high quality, well managed facilities will focus on;

• Siblings staying together while in foster care
• No more children bouncing from home to home
• Educational help through our tutoring team
• Encouragement through our mentoring Team
• Modeling Christ-like unconditional love
• Our "Transitions" life skills training program
• Our own Foster Parent Support Network

View Ark of Hope for Children’s goals and plans on the following pages. The tabs are ordered based upon when each will become reality based upon funds. But we know God works in His own way and His own timing and can provide all the funds needed for all of our projects. Should you view an area that you are interested in supporting or being more deeply involved in please contact us. Together we will leave a “legacy of hope for orphans abused and neglected children.

"Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes Me welcomes the One who sent me." Luke 9:49

H²O  

Hope To Orphans programs 

H²O Foster Care program;

Through our “H²O - Hope To Orphans” program we will license families to care for foster children in their current homes under the Ark of Hope For Children umbrella of care. Foster parents will be licensed through our own customized MAPP class training that will be carried out throughout the Christian church community in North Central Florida. Ark of Hope will provide H²O parents with a financial subsidy and other support based upon the number of foster children living in their home.

Children and youth within the Ark of Hope H²O program will also have opportunities to use the special facilities available at our “Eagles Nest” Sibling Care campus and the corporate office. Our staff, counselors, and volunteer mentors and tutors will equip the children to be successful, hope filled members of society. Naturally Ark of Hope For Children will not discriminate towards any potential resident regarding race, ethnicity, religion or sex.

For those who will grow up in the system, and who will eventually "graduate" from it at 18, we will provide our "Transitions" job and life skill training program which they will begin by 15 years of age. Older foster youth will be able to graduate to our “Wings” Transitional Living Homes upon reaching 18 years of age. We will lay all of the conceivable ground work for our residents so they can have all of the same opportunities available to them as a child that grew up in a traditional home.

H²O Adoption program;

For residents that become available for adoption, Ark of Hope’s Hope To Orphans program will work hard to find them a happy and love filled home. This will include encouraging their current H²O foster parents to adopt them. The level of care in our licensed adoptive homes will be modeled after Blair and Verna Corbett’s family; Ark of Hope For Children’s first licensed orphan care home. Adoptive parents will have access to Ark of Hope For Children’s foster and adoptive parents support network meetings to be held at Ark of Hope For Children’s headquarters.

Our H²O Adoption program plans to devote a portion of our website to assist in adoption of children from Ark of Hope For Children programs and from around our district.

“50 Files” star studded CD/DVD benefits

Ark of Hope For Children

Set for release in 2010 national recording artist Wayne Warner’s “50 Files” project focuses on the 510,000 foster children in the U.S. that see themselves as little more than a name on a file. The compilation CD/DVD features songs from many of your favorite recording artists that have been touched by foster care/adoption.

Warner's Melodical Hearts Foundation is spear heading the enormous “50 Files” project which will include 7 music videos along with 11 songs on the accompanying CD. The title song on “50 Files” will have a photo of one adoptable foster child from each state serve as representatives for the cause. Each song focuses on U.S. domestic orphans and are sung by many powerhouses in the U.S. recording industry including Dolly Parton, Reba McEntire, Steven Curtis Chapman, Wayne Warner, Reba McEntire, John Michael Montgomery, and many more!

Pre-purchase autographed copies in our store - click here!

Project “50 Files” will only be available for sale through Ark of Hope For Children's sites, along with four other nonprofit organizations that are focused on high quality care for foster and adoptable children. The “Melodical Hearts Foundation” will share ½ of the sale price for every dual disc Ark of Hope For Children sells through their efforts! Ark of Hope For Children will have their own PSA on every DVD along with the other four organizations that will benefit from the sales.

Blair Corbett, founder of Ark of Hope For Children has been privileged to work closely with Wayne Warner on the “50 Files” project. The Warner’s and the Corbett’s have adopted 7 children from foster care and know personally of the struggles foster children face. In addition Wayne Warner is also a foster parent himself. Wayne says, “Melodical Hearts” mission is to use the power of music and video to promote adoption and foster care awareness. Through radio and media outlets, a voice will be given to the urgent pleas of the children “living in a file”. It has added a new dimension to the direction of his career, as he focuses his efforts on making "MUSIC THAT MATTERS.”

Pre-purchase an autographed copy today to get your own dual disc by national recording artist and Melodical Hearts founder Wayne Warner himself! (other artsists performing on "50 Files" music video may also sign!)

Pre-purchase autographed copies in our store - click here!

Thank you to TempForce Gainesville for underwriting Ark of Hope's ability to take part on the "50 Files" project.

Ark of Hope For Children thanks Wayne Warner and all the recording artists taking part in Project "50 Files" for such an enormous effort to help orphans and abused children living in foster care.