WHY DO WE NEED THE CIC CHILDREN’S NEIGHBORHOOD?
There is a severe shortage of foster homes in our community and there is no emergency shelter for infants and young children in Okaloosa and Walton counties.  This shortage causes children to be placed in over-capacity foster homes, frequently moved from home to home and much too often, siblings are separated.

WHERE DO THE CHILDREN COME FROM AND HOW DO WE GET THEM?
Our children come from the Florida Department of Children and Families foster program and are placed by Families First Network.  There are different situations that would require a child to be placed in foster care but many children are abused, neglected or abandoned and removed from an unsafe environment on short notice.

WHAT WILL CIC DO THAT IS DIFFERENT THAN OTHER AGENCIES?
CIC is a non-profit, 501(c), (3), community charity of caring people providing homes and establishing hope to our children.  The Children’s Neighborhood will provide an emergency shelter for children that are removed on short notice from an unsafe or abusive environment.  CIC will keep siblings together, reduce out of county placements, minimize the disruption of multiple foster home placements and provide a stable, nurturing home for children in a local neighborhood environment.

HOW MANY CHILDREN WILL LIVE AT THE CHILDRENS NEIGHBORHOOD?
Hundreds of at risk children each year will have a safe, secure, temporary home in the Emergency Shelter. A dedicated 24-hour wake-staff will be assigned to the 12-bed facility and will address the child’s immediate needs until a more permanent placement can be arranged.  Each of our foster homes will have six children and provide for the child’s long-term needs.  Four foster homes will be built in the first phase of construction and each will have two house parents.

WHERE IS THE CHILDREN’S NEIGHBORHOOD LOCATED?
The Children’s Neighborhood is located on Hurlburt Road in Fort Walton Beach, between Beal Parkway and Martin Luther King Blvd.  The site was made possible through a charity land lease of 20 acres by the Okaloosa-Walton College.  The Children’s Neighborhood will be built in two phases.

WHAT WILL BE BUILT IN PHASE I?
Phase I will have an emergency shelter, four foster homes, a neighborhood center for administration, a recreation/maintenance building, and a pavilion/playground.

WHAT WILL THE NEIGHBORHOOD COST AND HOW WILL IT BE FINANCED?
The first phase of the Children’s Neighborhood will cost approximately $5 million.  No federal or state tax funds are available for construction.  We started our Capital Campaign to raise necessary construction funds in January 2005.  Thanks to wonderful support from private, business and community donations, we have raised the necessary funds to build the first two homes.  We still need support to continue with the first phase of construction and naming opportunities for buildings/rooms are available, including the $1 Million Children’s Neighborhood Naming!

HOW WILL YOU FUND OPERATIONS OF THE CHILDREN’S NEIGHBORHOOD?
Capital Campaign funds are restricted to construction and can not be used to feed, clothe and care for the kids living at the Children’s Neighborhood.  We have initiated several fundraising campaigns to help sustain operations such as:  The Kid’s Club, Change for Children campaign and The Annual Children’s Neighborhood Charity Golf Tournament.  We’ve partnered with other foundations, organizations and business to help keep the Children’s Neighborhood open and operating.  Additionally, the faith community will play a significant role in providing support financially and spiritually.  Once we are open and operating and Families First Network places a child with us, a per diem will be provided from the state.  However, we estimate that the reimbursement will only cover about one-third of the actual cost of feeding, clothing and caring for our foster children.  We need your help!