The staff at The Park and Facilities Catalog and the tree they decorated at a local foster home as part of the 4KIDS foster program. Visit www.4kids.us to learn how you can help this valuable organization that finds safe homes for hundreds of abandoned children in South Florida

There is a major challenge taking place in South Florida today with children who have been removed from their homes for various reasons and need a safe place to live.

It is estimated that every day, from 7 to 11 children are relocated from their homes due to abuse, neglect or abandonment. About 2,400 are removed every year in just a three-county area in South Florida.

Experts refer to the plight of these youngsters as the "invisible crisis."

Fortunately, there is a fantastic organization called 4Kids that is dedicated to solving this problem and finding refuge for these youngsters.

The group works with residents in Broward County, Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast to arrange for welcome and safe foster homes for these children.

To do our part, the staff at The Park and Facilities Catalog recently spent a few days visiting these foster homes to provide some holiday cheer. We decorated the outside of the houses with lights and decorated Christmas Trees and other parts of the inside of the homes.

The group also donated toys, gift cards and other items.

This effort is part of the Park Catalog's "Day of Caring" initiative where employees spend a day involved in helping out their local community.

Employees at The Park Catalog also donated gifts and gift cards to children and teenagers in two foster homes

Decorating tree

"We were honored to decorate these homes for the children and their foster parents to help them enjoy the holidays," said Jessica Kyriakos, Vice President and General Manager with The Park and Facilities Catalog. "I'm proud of how the staff pitched in to make these homes as festive-looking as they could and to provide a variety of gifts for the children."

At one home, the children were at school when The Park Catalog crew arrived. In just a few hours, the foster home was completely transformed into a holiday wonderland with a full display of lights, tinsel, bows, ornaments and even a toy train running around the Christmas tree.

One foster mom in the home said the children were quite surprised when they returned from school to see their home decked out for the holidays.

"Thank you so much for decorating our home. We have truly been blessed by the team that came to get our house Christmas ready," said one foster mom. "The kids are all thrilled with the lights and fun decorations."

She added, "I was completely shocked by the outpouring of love for our four kids with so many gifts and totally stuffed stockings. I can't wait for them to open them all on Christmas!"

The 4KIDS organization serves children and families in six Florida counties with three regional offices.

Decorating the interior of one of the foster homes

4KIDS gives a helping hand to children and young adults

Whether it's a child who has been removed from a home, a young person without a family about to age out of a foster home, or a young woman facing an unplanned pregnancy, the 4KIDS group finds a safe and secure place for these individuals to go.

4KIDS works with hundreds of foster families throughout South Florida to provide a loving environment for these children. They ensure that parents and caregivers are giving the right training to provide the care and support that is necessary.

They also help these children cope with the transition, which as you can imagine can be traumatic.

The organization uses a counseling technique they call EPIC - a comprehensive therapeutic approach that is trust-based and trauma-focused. This approach addresses several needs - Emotional, Physical, Intellectual and Character-based.

Setting up Sant

If there ever was a worthwhile cause in the area, 4KIDS is certainly one of them.

There are many ways local residents can help this important charity.

Go to www.4kids.us. You can also find the regional office near you listed on their website.

One very interesting tool on their website lets visitors see the number of children who have been removed from their homes in each zip code. That number ranges from 3 to a sobering 180 in just one area alone.

The wonderful people involved in 4KIDS work hard to live up to their motto - "A Home for Every Child."

We should all give them the support they need in their important mission to rescue these children from traumatic situations and restore hope and care back in their lives.

Installing the donated Christmas lights