Everyday Blessings, Inc. cares for up to thirty children in Lithia (formerly in Thonotosassa) while they await permanent placement. The children in our program range in age from newborn through 17 years old. They come from all economic backgrounds and ethnic groups and have been removed from their previous home due to abuse, neglect or abandonment. See our Board of Directors.
Here at EBI, a strong emphasis is placed on the quality of care:
Everyday Blessings, Inc. is licensed by the state of Florida as a Child Caring Agency
Everyday Blessings, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit receiving partial funding from community based care agencies of southwest Florida and partial funding from private donors. Find out more on the Donate! page.
Financial statements are available upon request or via The Giving Partner.
More Information on Residential Group Care
There are approximately 2,500 children in Hillsborough County who are in out-of-home care. When sibling groups come into care–groups as large as 5 or more children–there is seldom a single home with more than one or two available beds. Therefore, the Everyday Blessings, Inc. (EBI) residential facility serves as an alternative in order to keep these siblings together.
The EBI residential program is designed to serve up to thirty children at any given time. These children are matched with live-in caregivers. Two caregivers along with 8-10 children reside in one of the three 5 bedroom homes on the Lithia Campus. The live-in caregivers fulfill the role of “parent” to these children from 4:30 in the afternoon until 8:30 the next morning, Monday through Friday and all day Saturday and Sunday. They go on recreational, educational and church outings as a “family”.
Monday through Friday, children who are of school age attend school daily. In the evening, everyone eats dinner prepared in the central kitchen and dining room. After a period of outdoor play, they each go to their “home” where the bed and bath routine begins. The same person who has put these children to bed is the person who greets them in the morning.
The greatest challenge of the residential program is to recruit, train and retain mission-minded live-in caregivers. The children come with behaviors that are indicative of abuse, neglect, frequent moves and accompanying attachment issues, insecurity and fear, confusion and anger. It takes a while to trust, it takes a while to believe, it takes a while to allow themselves to build a relationship that will bring about behavioral change.
If you would like more information about our program or you are interested in joining our “family” as a full-time caregiver or respite worker, go to the Job Opportunities page.
No person shall, on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, or disability be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to unlawful discrimination under any program or activity receiving or benefiting from federal financial assistance administered by Everyday Blessings, Inc. Foreign language and sign-language interpreters will be made available at no charge to the client. Everyday Blessings, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit, equal opportunity employer.
