Place of Hope Celebrates 25 Years of Changing Lives in South Florida

Palm Beach County, USA - On June 12, 2025, a significant milestone was celebrated by the nonprofit organization Place of Hope as it marks 25 years of dedicated service to the community. Celebrated for its impactful work in foster care, affordable housing, and human trafficking prevention, Place of Hope has been awarded the prestigious Nonprofit of the Year by the Palm Beach Chamber of Commerce. This accolade was announced during the Palm Beach Chamber’s Annual Leadership Awards gala, recognizing not only the organization’s contributions but also the vision of its founder, Charles Bender, who received the Ed Tancer Community Leader of the Year award from the Palm Beach North Chamber of Commerce as well.

Since its inception in 1998, Place of Hope has transformed the lives of over 200,000 children, youth, and families across South Florida. Their model includes a comprehensive continuum of care that encompasses foster care, adoption services, transitional housing, and anti-trafficking initiatives. With a perfect four-star rating from Charity Navigator, it’s evident that the organization operates with transparency and efficacy, having raised over $200 million and functioning debt-free.

Major Milestones in Service

Over the years, Place of Hope has hit numerous important milestones that underline its commitment to the community. Highlights include:

• 2006: Launched Villages of Hope for homeless youth.
• 2010: Opened Joann’s Cottage Maternity Home.
• 2012: Established Florida’s first safe house for minor victims of sex trafficking.
• 2018: Introduced the Human Trafficking Prevention & Awareness Program.
• 2022: Relaunched Shade Tree Family Outreach for single mothers and families facing crises.
• 2024: Became the first charity partnering with Crime Stoppers for trafficking awareness initiatives.

In addition, the organization has successfully facilitated over 375 adoptions and ensured the continuity of family bonds by keeping 600 siblings together. Transitioning 400 young adults into stable adulthood further demonstrates Place of Hope’s pivotal role in the lives of those it serves.

Foster Care and Human Trafficking

Foster care encompasses a wide array of living situations for children, providing them with a 24-hour substitute care system outside their familial environment. As defined by the federal regulations, these can include nonrelative and relative foster homes, group homes, emergency shelters, and more. Unfortunately, the vulnerable youth in foster care are at a heightened risk of human trafficking, which has become a pressing public health and social justice issue.

Statistics reveal a troubling intersection between foster care and human trafficking. Federal lawmakers have begun to emphasize the child welfare system’s role in identifying and addressing the risks associated with trafficking during their formative years. Indeed, previous research highlights a connection between child maltreatment, foster care, and human trafficking, calling for a deeper understanding of how these issues intertwine.

The Survey of Youth Transitioning from Foster Care (SYTFC) aims to shed light on the experiences of youth in this system. Conducted in two states, this survey focused on demographic characteristics, maltreatment allegations, and placement history, bridging youth self-reports of trafficking experiences with administrative child welfare data. These insights are part of ongoing efforts to enhance our understanding of this critical issue and implement more effective prevention strategies.

As Place of Hope forges ahead with plans to expand its transitional housing options and enhance educational and workforce development programs, the organization’s commitment to ensuring that every child is known, loved, seen, and safe remains steadfast. In celebrating their 25 years of service, it is clear that Place of Hope not only recognizes the challenges ahead but is also determined to address them head-on.

To learn more about Place of Hope and its mission, visit GlobeNewswire. For insights into foster care and human trafficking statistics, check out Human Trafficking Search and to understand the risks youth face in foster care, visit ACF.