You’ve Got a Friend in Me

For more than three decades, Seminole County Friends of Abused Children has been helping our community’s most vulnerable residents

By Laura Breen Galante3 min read
The Heathrow Women’s Club donates funds and school supplies to Seminole County Friends of Abused Children’s back-to-school drive.
The Heathrow Women’s Club donates funds and school supplies to Seminole County Friends of Abused Children’s back-to-school drive.

Seminole County Friends of Abused Children (SCFAC) is a nonprofit that provides kids in need a little comfort and normalcy during difficult times of transition.

Florida Guardian ad Litem members created the organization in 1990 when they realized children in foster care had needs that were not being met by state or federal funding. Guardian ad Litems act as advocates for abused and neglected children within the dependency child welfare system.

While most kids in foster care have their basic needs met, that is not enough for Seminole County Friends.

Going the Extra Mile

The organization’s volunteers firmly believe that the extras in life are vital to a child’s overall health and development. Those extras can include clothing, luggage, tutoring, summer camp, school supplies, eyeglasses, and counseling.

“We fill the needs that most organizations don’t,” says Yvonne Stimac, SCFAC board president. “We make sure that the kids can enjoy a sport or arts – if they want to play football or soccer, or if they want to play a musical instrument. We make sure they can take lessons and have the necessary equipment to do those extracurricular activities.”

Yvonne spent 13 years volunteering as a Guardian ad Litem in Seminole County, and she represents SCFAC on the Child Abuse Prevention Task Force. Along with several other Seminole County Friends board members and volunteers, Yvonne is committed to providing children in foster care with the same experiences that kids with intact families would likely have.

Bob Downing with Yvonne Stimac and Faith Shorthouse of Seminole County Friends of Abused Children. Bob and his wife help the nonprofit organize its gift requests for children each year.
Bob Downing with Yvonne Stimac and Faith Shorthouse of Seminole County Friends of Abused Children. Bob and his wife help the nonprofit organize its gift requests for children each year.

Requests for help come from Guardian ad Litems who work directly with the children. SCFAC then evaluates those needs and jumps into action to fulfill the requests.

Besides meeting specific, individual requests, SCFAC helps kids in other ways – from providing backpacks for the start of school to Secret Santa gifts, Halloween costumes, and Easter baskets. The organization’s most recent Secret Santa event distributed gifts to more than 350 children. In addition to helping children in foster care, the organization also assists at-risk kids and young adults.

Seminole County Friends, which has minimal overhead, relies on donated space and funds. SCFAC is able to help so many children thanks to generous donations and grants from partnerships with groups such as the Heathrow Women’s Club and the Woman’s Club of Sanford.

The University of Central Florida’s chapter of Kappa Alpha Theta sorority also donates money and volunteer hours to SCFAC.

“The UCF Thetas chose Seminole County Friends for their philanthropy, and we’re lucky enough to receive the funds from it,” says Yvonne. “They volunteer to help us out when we have our fundraisers and Secret Santas, and they make up our Easter baskets and backpacks.”

< Board members of Seminole County Friends of Abused Children address the organization’s supporters at a fundraising event.
< Board members of Seminole County Friends of Abused Children address the organization’s supporters at a fundraising event.

SCFAC typically hosts two fundraisers a year to support its mission, including a barbecue and bingo event in the summer. Yvonne also plans to bring back the organization’s wine tasting event, which hasn’t been held since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sandra Ciuba, who has worked for the Florida Guardian ad Litem Office for the past 19 years, witnesses the impact that SCFAC has on kids in our community.

“We see each and every day how important it is for children to have positive, stable experiences in their lives,” says Sandra.

“Whether it is new clothing, birthday or holiday gifts, or meaningful experiences, organizations like Seminole County Friends of Abused Children provide support that makes meaningful differences in the lives of children in our community. Providing a sense of normalcy – the chance to experience everyday childhood moments – matters for kids.”

To learn more, visit FriendsOfAbusedChildren.com.