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Archive for the ‘Advocacy’ Category

Leading Children’s Rights Attorney Howard Talenfeld Receives AFP Broward Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser Award

Howard M. Talenfeld, a top children’s rights attorney, was honored by the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Fort Lauderdale/Broward Chapter as the 2024 Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser. Talenfeld is a Business Unit Leader of Justice for Kids, a division of Kelley Kronenberg, and the Founder and Board President of Florida’s Children First.

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Illinois Expands ‘Family’ Definition in Foster Care: Relative Placements Rise, Support Challenges Emerge

October 27th, 2024   No Comments   Advocacy, Foster Care

 By: Julianna Walo, Esquire 

The number of foster children being placed with relatives in Illinois has been steadily climbing over the last decade. The passage of a new state law is expected to fuel the trend. Under the Fictive Kin Law, passed in 2015, Illinois expanded the definition of family to include individuals unrelated by birth or marriage who have developed close ties to the child or the child’s family. Those individuals include close family friends, godparents, step-relatives, or a relative’s spouse or partner from a civil union. In Illinois, relatives and fictive kin are not required to be licensed — and few of them are. That trend has implications for the amount of financial assistance the families get. 

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Howard Talenfeld profiled in AAJ Trial Magazine

October 4th, 2024   No Comments   Advocacy, News & Events

The American Association for Justice (AAJ) spotlighted Justice for Kids co-leader Howard Talenfeld in the October issue of Trial Magazine. Read the article below to learn why Howard was selected as the recipient of the AAJ’s 2024 Trial Lawyers Care Award.

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Leading Children’s Rights Attorney Howard Talenfeld Rejoins Youth Law Center Board

September 16th, 2024   No Comments   Advocacy, News & Events

The Youth Law Center (YLC), a national child advocacy organization, has invited children’s rights attorney Howard M. Talenfeld to join its Board of Directors. Talenfeld, a Business Unit Leader of the Justice for Kids Division of Kelley Kronenberg, previously served on the YLC Board for five years and has dedicated his career to the advocacy and protection of at-risk youth.

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Preeminent Children’s Rights Attorney Howard Talenfeld Receives National Recognition with 2024 Trial Lawyers Care Award

American Association for Justice Honors Talenfeld for a Career Dedicated to Protecting Children

Howard M. Talenfeld, a top children’s rights attorney and Business Unit Leader of Justice for Kids, a division of Kelley Kronenberg, was honored by the American Association for Justice (AAJ) as the recipient of the 2024 Trial Lawyers Care Award. Talenfeld received this prestigious national award at the AAJ Leadership Luncheon on Saturday, July 20, 2024.

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Florida’s Children First to Honor Broward’s Top Advocates for Children on March 7

Florida’s Children First (FCF), an award-winning non-profit organization that has been the voice of at–risk children and youth in Florida, will recognize truly remarkable child advocates and former foster youth at FCF’s 21st annual Broward County Advocates for Children Awards, held at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts on March 7.

This is one of the largest events FCF hosts each year, recognizing the accomplishments of community leaders in Broward who support its mission of making positive changes in the lives of children. Joe Johnson, NPR and Beatles Brunch radio host, will return as the event’s emcee with an expected attendance of 300 supporters including community leaders, former honorees, and individuals who are committed to helping Florida’s children.

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Justin Grosz Appointed to Florida’s Children First Board of Directors

February 7th, 2022   No Comments   Advocacy

Florida’s Children First (FCF), a statewide advocacy organization focused on protecting the legal rights of at-risk and foster care children, is proud to announce the addition of Justin Grosz to its Board of Directors.

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Florida’s Children First Hosts CHILL For the Kids Virtual Wine Tasting and Celebrity Chef Demo in Jacksonville to Benefit Foster Kids

Sip, Swirl and Support Florida’s Premiere Youth Advocacy Organization on the Ultimate  Zoom Escape to Napa Valley

Florida’s Children First (FCF), an award-winning nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the rights of at-risk children and youth in the foster care system, is hosting the CHILL for the Kids Virtual Wine Tasting and Celebrity Chef Demo fundraiser on Wednesday, October 27, 2021 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Patrons will enjoy a safe, socially-distanced and fun way to “escape” from their local surroundings for a bit, while allowing FCF the opportunity to raise funds and educate supporters on their mission of helping kids in and aging out of foster care.

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Local 10: Mother fights to pass ‘Greyson’s Law’ after son killed by father in murder-suicide

October 13th, 2021   No Comments   Advocacy

Attorneys from Justice for Kids are working with a South Florida mother to seek justice for her four-year-old who was tragically killed by his father in a murder-suicide. Every stone will be overturned to determine whether red flags, evaluations and proper risk assessments were missed or overlooked. WPLG Local 10 in Miami shares more on this horrific story and her quest to help other families avoid the pain she is now experiencing. Watch the segment here.

Florida’s Children First Brought Napa to South Florida with “CHILL” Virtual Fundraiser

Florida’s Premiere Youth Advocacy Organization Went Virtual to Help Youth in Foster Care

Florida’s Children First (FCF), an award-winning non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the rights of at–risk children and youth in the foster care system, recently hosted its first virtual fundraiser for its supporters in Miami. As we all continue to navigate the ongoing impacts of COVID-19, FCF brought individuals together virtually to raise funds to support their critical work with foster youth, many of whom have been dramatically impacted by the pandemic.

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Florida Bar Foundation Revamps Proposed Grants to Build COVID-19 Reserve

April 17th, 2020   No Comments   Advocacy

We are so proud that The Florida Bar Foundation increased Florida’s Children First’s yearly grant and recognized the great systemic work FCF does for children!

Read more from the Florida Bar Foundations here.

Statewide Human Trafficking Summit Reminds Us that More Progress, Prevention is Needed

October 1st, 2019   No Comments   Advocacy, Sexual Abuse

On Monday, hundreds of individuals involved in criminal justice, social services, health and mental health, and others gathered in Orlando for Florida’s first statewide Human Trafficking Summit. As reported by Florida Politics, “So much more attention and effort is being paid to the scourge of human trafficking now than 20 years ago. Yet there remains so little visible progress, especially in prevention…”

We must continue to shine a bright light on the places where these heinous crimes are committed, and work to educate the employees of hotels, massage parlors, and adult theaters on how to spot the signs of trafficking and common practices. While there is now more attention on human trafficking, there is still much more that needs to be done in order to address and prevent some of Florida’s worst and most vile crimes.

Read more about the Human Trafficking Summit in the article “Human trafficking summit opens with concern that prevention still lags” from Florida Politics here.