Manatee Children's Services works to break the cycle of child abuse for nearly five decades

Manatee Children's Services aims to stop child abuse

More than 6,000 cases of child abuse are reported in Manatee County yearly, and there is often physical and emotional trauma left with the children. FOX 13's Kimberly Kuizon reports.

BRADENTON, Fla. - For nearly 50 years, Manatee Children's Services has worked to be an advocate and a resource to stop child abuse.

More than 6,000 cases of child abuse are reported in Manatee County yearly, and there is often physical and emotional trauma left with the children. 

"Our vision is to break the cycle of child abuse," said Krista Post, the developmental director for Manatee Children's Services. 

Whether it's preventive services, crisis intervention or clinical therapy programs, walking through their doors isn't easy. 

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"They don’t know what will happen. Sometimes these kids are three, four, five years old and sometimes younger," said Post. 

The non-profit helps children and their families navigate unimaginable situations. 

"Our team offers nothing but compassion, empathy and a nice comfortable setting to help ease their fears," said Post. 

Why you should care:

As Manatee County has grown, so has the need for their work. Manatee Children's Services helps around 12,000 families every single year and, out of that number, about 100 children need emergency shelter yearly. 

"When I met Manatee Children’s Services, I immediately resonated with it, because I realized this is a faceless charity," said Tony Fitzgerald, who is a board member. 

Fitzgerald said it's hard to imagine the impact without seeing the faces of those involved. 

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"Everyone knows this is happening, but people forget about it, because you don’t want to know it’s happening. You want to put it outside your mind. It’s maybe not the most forefront charity to think about donating to, but it’s one of the most important ones to donate to," he said. 

Manatee Children's Services has three long-term group homes within the community. 

They work to house children who've been abused and can't return home. They've become the advocates for not only helping to heal, but to break the cycle of child abuse. 

"We rely on people in the community who have a heart for children, who have a heart for the vulnerable populations and want to be community heroes in making that change," said Post. 

What's next:

On Saturday, January 17th, Manatee Children's Services will be holding a gala to help raise funds for all that they do. Tickets are on sale until Friday, January 9. To learn more, visit this link. To purchase a ticket, click here.