Mississippi Families for Kids

Building Strong Families & Stronger Communities

Mississippi Families for Kids is a statewide, private 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization with the mission to ensure that every child in foster care and in the child welfare system finds a permanent home.  Established in 1994 through a grant from the Kellogg Foundation and incorporated in 1998, Mississippi Families for Kids is funded through individual donations, business contributions, Wendy’s franchisees, the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, and through our annual Children’s Golf Classic.

Mississippi Families for Kids was initiated to implement child focused, solution based, permanency-planning programs for the State of Mississippi. 

Top priority is given to those children who are presently in the adoption and foster care system.  The second priority is given to those families who are at risk of coming into the child welfare system.

Many of the children we serve are hard to place, such as older kids, those with special needs, and those who have been abused, neglected, or abandoned.  These children are often moved from foster home to foster home, which leads to a sense of instability and distrust. 

Children coming from this kind of living situation often develop negative behaviors such as lying and stealing. These children are more likely to drop out of high school than other youth, more likely to commit violent crimes, have difficulty finding stable employment, frequently depend on public assistance as adults, and often find themselves homeless.

Challenges like these require ongoing interventions.  Mississippi Families for Kids meets these challenges through a variety of educational and training support for children and parents, including recreational support, behavior and anger management, conflict resolution, tutoring, and counseling services. These crucial services are needed to increase the likelihood of a permanent home by helping the child adjust to the new family and helping the adoptive parents effectively address behavioral issues unique to the adoptive child.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Mississippi Families for Kids expanded its services to include families who have been displaced by the hurricane.  The agency has provided a variety of basic essentials to these families, including clothing, household items, and funds to get utilities set up in their new homes.  Mississippi Families for Kids has also initiated a support group for hurricane survivors to provide them with a sense of stability by helping them to connect with others in their situation and by identifying other resources and agencies in the community available to assist them.

Mississippi Families for Kids welcomes partners to join our efforts to build strong families and stronger communities.  Your contribution is an investment in creating a brighter future for at-risk children and families.