Homes, Healing, and Hope

We're fiercely passionate about serving and advocating for vulnerable
children and families in crisis. We don’t just care for children, we care
about them, embracing them into environments in which they can live,
learn, and thrive.

Homes, Healing & Hope

Helping children thrive.
Giving families hope.

Our passion for serving children is motivated by the knowledge that so many children must rely on someone to care for them when those closest to them are unable to do so.

There are more children in Northwest Florida who are waiting for a foster family than the number of available licensed foster homes. These kids are all too familiar with neglect, abuse, and abandonment. We are working to nurture these vulnerable children by embracing them, meeting them where they are, and loving them unconditionally. We provide homes with a system of support and care to help them flourish.

While faith serves as the core of our mission, we are driven by a desire to nurture, support, and prepare kids for productive, thriving futures. We believe we can break what often becomes a cycle of neglect and circumstance for many of the children in our care. Our caring and compassionate team works to change the trajectory of the lives of children in foster care by recruiting, training, licensing, and supporting foster parents in Northwest Florida. Embrace Florida Kids continually provides support and resources that position foster families for success.

Our Mission

Our Mission

In response to God’s Word, we embrace and nurture vulnerable children and families by providing homes, healing, and hope.

Historyical Photos

A Century of Success

While we have been in Northwest Florida since 1974, we were built upon the foundation of nearly a century of success.

We reach beyond denominational barriers and state borders to connect our communities in Alabama and Northwest Florida. What started as an orphanage in Summerfield, Alabama, has since grown to serve thousands of children and families across two states.

As a faith-based agency and Methodist ministry, we bring to life the ongoing mission of caring for kids and families in crisis. Throughout our organization, we work toward the same mission of serving vulnerable populations of kids and families as we establish homes, healing, and hope.


WHAT WE DO

Serving Children and Families

Serving Children and Families
Service Areas Map Florida Locations Alabama Locations Alabama Locations Walton County Okaloosa County Santa Rosa County Escambia County
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Service Areas

Where Adversity Meets God’s Grace and Unconditional Love

Our team works across the Florida Panhandle to provide programs and services to embrace children in foster care and families in crisis in Escambia County, Santa Rosa County, Okaloosa County, and Walton County.

Florida View Alabama Locations View Alabama Locations

Our founding ministry, Embrace Alabama Kids, also provides services spanning the state of Alabama. Learn more by visiting embracealkids.org.

Meet the Team

Our team of committed leaders and staff all work to serve the greater mission of providing homes, healing, and hope to vulnerable children and struggling families on both ends of the neglect, abuse, and abandonment spectrum.

Blake Horne, Ph.D.

Blake Horne, Ph.D.

President & CEO

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Charlotte Thomas

Charlotte Thomas

Director of Programs

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Ramsey Lawrence

Ramsey Lawrence

Director of Development and Community Relations

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Kristin Alberda, MSW, LICSW

Kristin Alberda, MSW, LICSW

Senior Vice President of Operations

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Program Managers

Alisha Clary

Alisha Clary

Program Manager,
Milton Girls Home

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Sandra Mims

Sandra Mims

Program Manager,
Embrace Family Preservation

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Rob Bonicioli

Rob Bonicioli

Program Manager,
Embrace Foster Care

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Edna Rivers

Edna Rivers

Program Manager,
Embrace Family Preservation

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Terrill Bryant

Terrill Bryant

Program Manager, Pensacola Higher Education Home

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Supporting Staff

Amanda S. Freeman

Amanda S. Freeman, CPA, CGMA

Chief Financial Officer

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Rebecca Morris

Rebecca Morris

Sr. VP of External Affairs

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Jeff Holland, Jr.

Jeff Holland, Jr.

Director of Facilities and Fleet

Holly Register

Holly Register, LICSW

Director of Quality Assurance


Florida Board of Directors

Embrace Florida Kids is led by an independent, Florida-based volunteer board. These dedicated members provide advisory leadership to our executive team.

  • Jeff Dannelly, Niceville, Board President
  • Vicki Abrams, Port St. Joe
  • Patricia Bullock Franklin, Pensacola
  • Casi Krog, Niceville
  • Kim Stagner, Gulf Breeze
  • Ken Stange, Santa Rosa Beach
  • Kirby Williams, Santa Rosa Beach
  • Brett Nunn, Santa Rosa Beach
  • Alexis Tibbetts, Shalimar
  • Mark La Branche, Pensacola
Our Programs

Our Programs


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Contact Us

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