In 1986, FRF began its involvement with the Children's Home Society by adopting a family at Christmas time. Each year, FRF staff donates a variety of items to a needy family to make their Christmas a merry one. We donate clothing, linens, and canned food items, as well as items listed on the families "wish list".

Starting in 2006, we began participating in the Back-to-School supplies drive that CHS organizes. Our staff has donated items such as backpacks, notebooks, and folders to be distributed to children in need throughout the Big Bend area. Click here to view the letter from the Children's Home Society. www.chsfl.org

Established in 1902, Children’s Home Society of Florida (CHS) is one of Florida’s oldest private not-for-profit organizations providing services to children and families. CHS delivers a unique spectrum of social services designed to protect children at risk of abuse, neglect or abandonment; to strengthen and stabilize families; to help young people break the cycle of abuse and neglect; and to find safe, loving homes for children. Every year, CHS helps to improve the lives of about 100,000 children and family members.

In 1997, FRF assisted monetarily in building a Scholarship house, through the Southern Scholarship Foundation on the FAMU campus. FRF members were generous contributors to this project and continue to support the FRF House.

Since then, Elaine Mann Carpenter has been the liaison between FRF and the FRF Scholarship House girls. She, along with other staff members, brings supplies and goodies while making regular visits to spend time and encourage the girls living at the FRF Scholarship House. We continue to support the Southern Scholarship Foundation through Elaine serving on the SSF Board of Directors. www.southernscholarship.org

For over fifty years, the Southern Scholarship Foundation has helped thousands of students with outstanding academic abilities, good character and financial need realize their dream of a college education. Qualified students attending Florida State University, Florida A&M University, the University of Florida, and Florida Gulf Coast University are awarded scholarships in the form of rent-free housing to live in one of twenty-five, furnished scholarship houses that are adjacent to their college campus.

In early 2007, FRF teamed up with a Tallahassee Cub Scout Pack by collecting donations for our troops stationed in Iraq. FRF collected boxes of personal items, books, snacks, and movies. The Cub Scouts collected Beanie Babies for the troops to hand out to Iraqi children while out on patrol. When all the donations were in, a total of 17 large boxes were filled and shipped over to Iraq. In this picture, the Cubs are shown delivering their boxes of Beanies to Humanitarian Team Leader, Sally House.

In July of 2007, FRF joined up with fellow lobbyist Bob Asztolas to raise funds for Fisher House. He agreed to run on the Fisher House team in October's Marine Corps Marathon and FRF agreed to help bring in the donations. Fisher House™ Foundation donates homes built on the grounds of major military and VA medical centers. These homes enable family members to be close to a loved one during the hospitalization for an unexpected illness, disease, or injury. www.fisherhouse.org

The Fisher House program is a unique private-public partnership that supports America's military in their time of need. The program recognizes the special sacrifices of our men and women in uniform and the hardships of military service by meeting a humanitarian need beyond that normally provided by the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs.

In 2006, FRF began financially supporting our local Habitat for Humanity organization. In October of 2007, we kicked it up a notch! FRF staff rolled up their sleeves and flexed their muscles by donating physical labor on a local homestead. Pictured to the right is the FRF staff at the Habitat for Humanity build. www.bigbendhabitat.org

Big Bend Habitat for Humanity is a local nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating substandard housing and homelessness in Gadsden and Leon Counties. Habitat selects homeowners based on each family's needs and income. Homeowners help with the construction of their homes by contributing 400 hours of "sweat equity". After moving into their new homes, homeowners make monthly mortgage payments to Habitat. Unlike other lenders, Habitat provides 30 year, 0 interest mortgages.

In 2010, FRF staff collected and donated toys for the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation to be distributed to kids in the local community during Christmas time.  www.toysfortots.org

The objectives of Toys for Tots are to help less fortunate children throughout the United States experience the joy of Christmas; to play an active role in the development of one of our nation’s most valuable resources – our children; to unite all members of local communities in a common cause for three months each year during the annual toy collection and distribution campaign; and to contribute to better communities in the future.

In 2009, FRF staff collected and donated toys for Pediatria kids and families during Christmas.  www.pediatriakids.com

Pediatria HealthCare For Kids provides center based day health services and home based private duty nursing services for medically complex and fragile children. We utilize caring, skilled professionals in nursing, physical therapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy, and respiratory care to deliver these services.

Our focus is on assisting the patient and his or her family in achieving the best possible health care outcomes in the most comfortable and stimulating setting available. Our day health centers are designed to achieve this goal in a multi-disciplinary outpatient setting while our private duty nursing program enhances the interaction between caregivers, patient and nursing staff in the comfort and familiarity of the patient’s home.

Through the Christmas Connection, the FRF staff has assisted families in need during the Christmas season by providing them with toys, household items, meals, etc.  We've enjoyed working this organization and are thankful to be able to give to others during this season.   www.thechristmasconnection.org.

Christmas Connection tries to fulfill the wishes and some of the basic needs of hundreds of needy families in Northwest Florida each holiday season. We want to deliver toys for their children, food for their table and a little joy to their homes. Christmas Connection is an initiative of Catholic Charities, but it serves families of all religions, races, and ethnic backgrounds. From 25 families in Tallahassee to 800 families in eight Big Bend counties: That is the amazing history and growth of the Christmas Connection. In 1979, Christmas Connection began as an effort to help 25 needy families have a happier holiday. The response was overwhelming. Over the years, the Christmas Connection has exploded to a massive volunteer effort that now helps 600 to 800 families in an eight-county region each year.