Guardian ad Litem Program of HIllsborough County

We see news stories every day about children taken from abusive homes, or because of the tragic loss of a parent - to illness or violence or incarceration.  We assume there must be a program or system that will take care of these children and make sure they are treated with dignity, given a safe place to live, so they can recover from their hardship and be a child again.  But there is a story behind the story that few people speak about.  It is the story of a six-year-old girl who has been moved to six group homes and three school over the past two years.  The story of a toddler separated from her brothers and sisters during the most vulnerable time in her life.  The story of a child being handed all his belongings in a plastic bag at the age of 18, because he has "aged out" of the system.  It is a story that occurs over and over again in America's foster care and child welfare system.  But these stories can have better endings, because there is a group of trained volunteers, appointed by judges to advocate for these children.  People who fight for these abused and neglected children, to make sure their basic rights and essential needs don't get overlooked or ignored by the system.  These stories can have better endings because of people like you.  Volunteer to be a Guardian ad Litem, a network of committed individuals - from all walks of life- who believe society has a fundamental obligation to these children. Average citizens doing above average work for these children in need.