GFNF4Kids Children’s Advocacy Center to host groundbreaking event

Guardians for New Futures | Children’s Advocacy Center (GFNF4Kids | CAC), a leading nonprofit fighting child abuse in the 19^th Circuit, is excited to announce it is hosting a Champions for Children Healing Garden Groundbreaking. The BBQ event will kick-off the construction of the state of the art, Children’s Healing Garden at the Children’s Advocacy Center. All are welcome to join GFNF4Kids staff, board members, and volunteers on Saturday, April 15, from 4pm to 6pm at the Children’s Advocacy Center at 8561 S. Commerce Drive, Port St. Lucie, FL 34986. Please RSVP by visiting www.gfnf4kids.org/events.

The Children’s Healing Garden will offer therapeutic horticulture programming and is dedicated to helping change the trajectory of the lives of children and families in crisis. It is intended as a space to reduce stress, temporarily alleviate depression, encourage exercise, promote a sense of well-being and the use of a positive imagination and therapeutic benefits.

April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month and you are invited to take a Walk in Their Shoes tour of the Children’s Advocacy Center. Learn first-

hand how our multi-disciplinary team of medical professionals, law enforcement, mental health, prosecution, child protective services, and victim advocacy work together to help heal victims of child abuse. Available Walk in Their Shoes tour dates are: April 7, April 14, April 21, and April 28. All tours are from 9am – 10am. Space is limited, please RSVP to Melissa Winstead at [email protected] with your choice of tour date.

Since the Children’s Advocacy Center opened in June 2022, over 450 children have been served. Through education and awareness, volunteering and donating, everyone can help put an end to child abuse. For more information about how you can get involved, call 772-807-3868.

Treasure Coast Business is a news service and magazine published in print, via e-newsletter and online at tcbusiness.com by Indian River Media Group. For more information or to report news email [email protected]

New outdoor classroom opens at House of Hope’s

Golden Gate Center for Enrichment in Stuart

The outdoor classroom at House of Hope’s Golden Gate Center for Enrichment is a welcoming space for a variety of activities. The idea for an outdoor classroom was inspired by the need during Covid to find well-ventilated spaces for group activities.

An outdoor classroom tucked into a wooded area on Dixie Highway in Stuart is the newest addition to House of Hope’s Golden Gate Center for Enrichment.

“The interest in using outdoor spaces for programming during Covid inspired this permanent outdoor classroom,” according to House of Hope CEO Rob Ranieri. “It expands our useful space for teaching and learning, makes great use of the park-like garden that we’ve created on the campus, and helps with revitalization efforts for this part of our community.”

The outdoor classroom, a covered space that can be used year-round, was funded by a grant from the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties. It complements the classroom spaces inside the Golden Gate Center for Enrichment. “Our programs have proved so popular,” Ranieri said, “that we welcome this additional space.”

House of Hope’s Centers for Enrichment at both Golden Gate in Stuart and in Jensen Beach offer a full calendar of no-cost classes and workshops focusing on education, career readiness, health and nutrition, and arts and culture. Many of these programs are facilitated by partner agencies that are subject matter experts. Others are facilitated by House of Hope staff and volunteers. Services vary at each site and change to reflect the needs of the community. The Enrichment Centers also feature computer labs with access to free printing.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony to welcome the new learning environment will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 8, at 2 p.m. at the Golden Gate Center for Enrichment, 3223 SE Dixie Highway, Stuart, FL. 34997. For more information about House of Hope and its Centers for Enrichment, visit www.hohmartin.org.

About House of Hope

Founded in 1984, House of Hope is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that empowers Martin County residents to overcome hunger and hardship. House of Hope touches the lives of more than 7,000 people each month helping with basic needs such as food, clothing, furniture, financial assistance, as well as longer-term case management services that help build life skills for a more self-sufficient future. The organization has service centers in Stuart, Hobe Sound, Indiantown, and Jensen Beach, and a Thrift Shop in South Stuart, Hobe Sound and Indiantown. House of Hope’s Enrichment Centers in Stuart and Jensen Beach offer free programs, technology, and workshops designed to enhance life skills, earning potential, health, and overall well-being. House of Hope also operates the Growing Hope Farm in Palm City and several nutrition gardens that provide sustainable sources of fresh produce for clients as well as nutrition education and vocational opportunities to the community. For more information, visit hohmartin.org or call 772-286-4673. Updates and announcements can also be found on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Hohmartin, Instagram https://www.instagram.com/houseofhopemc/, and Twitter https://twitter.com/hohmartin.

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