History
1901
The Florida Baptist Convention founded the Florida Baptist Orphanage in Arcadia.
1904
The first child was admitted in February. Twenty three children were cared for that first year.
1921
The Orphanage's name was changed to Florida Baptist Children's Home.
1932
A special fundraising campaign relieved the indebtedness that had burdened the Home almost from its beginning and which had been compounded by the Depression.
Children at the Arcadia campus.
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1938
Florida Baptist Children's Home led the way among children's homes in hiring professional social workers for counseling.
1948
The Home, debt-free, moved to Lakeland. Family-style housing was provided for the 140 children in the Home's care.
1958
The Children's Homes' Miami campus opened, providing care for 30 children and their families. Superintendent T.M. Johns began experimenting with placing all brothers and sisters together in the same cottage if they were beyond the preschool years, to preserve their sense of family.
T.M. & Susie Johns
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1969
In a period of vast social change and desegregation, the Children's Homes' policy was changed to serve children without regard to race. In June, Superintendent Johns and his wife, Susie, Assistant Superintendent, retired after serving more than 6,000 children during their 37-year employment with the Children's Homes.
1972
An Emergency Shelter for girls was opened at the Lakeland Children's Home.
1973
A Children's Homes' campus was opened in Tallahassee with one residence that was named for North Florida resident Audrey Wood, a generous missions-minded friend of children. The residence could accommodate 14 boys and girls.
1980
Jones Residence opened at the Tallahassee Children's Home. Named for generous benefactors Tom & Dotty Jones, the cottage doubled the campus's capacity to serve children.
1982
A new cottage — Carlton Residence — opened at the Tallahassee Children's Home, expanding that program to care for 30 children. Doyle & Mildred Carlton, longtime generous supporters of Florida Baptist Children's Homes, provided the necessary funds.
1986
The Children's Homes began to provide maternity care for unwed, pregnant girls and women.
1988
A Developmental Disabilities Ministry for adult women was begun in a Winter Haven group home. (Ten years later, this ministry was moved to the Lakeland campus and named the Sonshine Home.)
1991
The Children's Homes earned accreditation from the national Council on Accreditation of Services for Families and Children, Inc.
1992
Hurricane Andrew left $250,000 in damage at the Miami Children's Home; Florida Baptists immediately pitched in to help repair and refurbish the children's residences and campus buildings affected by the hurricane. The Southwest Florida Children's Home opened in Fort Myers, the result of a partnership with the Royal Palm Baptist Association and nearby McGregor Baptist Church.
1994
Lori, a resident Sonshine House, Florida Baptist Children's Homes' ministry to developmentally disabled women.
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The Children’s Home began caring for unwed, pregnant teenage girls through foster home placements.
1998
The Developmental Disabilities Ministry at the Winter Haven group home moved to the Lakeland campus and named the Sonshine House.
1999
The Baptist Home for Children in Jacksonville joined the Florida Baptist Children's Homes. The Board of Trustees expanded to 24 members. Mother's Day Offering gifts reached $1 million.
Children and staff gather in the living room of Swilley Residence at the Pensacola campus.
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2001
In Pensacola, Florida Baptist Children's Homes opened a 20-acre campus and cottage for up to eight children. The cottage, known as Swilley Residence, is named for its generous benefactors:
Novis & Virginia Swilley of North Florida.
2002
As a result of Gretna Baptist Church's support and close partnership with Florida Baptist Children's Homes, the newly constructed Gretna Baptist Learning Center opened on the Tallahassee campus.
2004
In February, Florida Baptist Children's Homes celebrated 100 years of service to children and families. As part of the Centennial celebration, children and staff from throughout the statewide ministry came together in June for a four-day "Camp of Champions" retreat at Lake Yale Baptist Conference Center; it was the first time they had all assembled in one location since the second campus opened in 1958.
Paul & Shirley Piper
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2008
• Opened the new Piper Children's Center in Lakeland, thanks to the generosity of benefactors Paul & Shirley Piper.
• Opened the new York Residence in Tallahassee. Funding for this cottage came from a generous donation from longtime supports Roy & Mary York of North Florida.
• Opened new social work offices in Bradenton and Panama City.
• Launched the international childcare ministry.
York Cottage
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