Press Releases

The Family Enrichment Center Recognizes National Adoption Month

Agency’s Mission is to Draw More Attention to the Needs of Local Children in the Adoption System

Tampa, Fla. (Nov. 6, 2006) – Meg Ryan did it. So did Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt. Last month, Madonna added her name to the growing list of “A-list” celebrities making headlines for adopting children from foreign countries.

While the focus in Hollywood appears to be drawing attention to an international crisis, the mission of the Family Enrichment Center (FEC), hits much closer to home.

FEC, a local faith-based, not-for-profit child-placing agency, was founded by the College Hill Church of God In Christ in 1992 to address the critical shortage of African American foster homes in Hillsborough County. The agency now manages 105 foster homes throughout Hillsborough County and provides a safe and nurturing environment to children from a variety of ethnic backgrounds.

“We are experiencing a crisis of our own right here in Tampa Bay of children who are in need of support,” said Olga S. Stirrup, FEC’s Executive Director. “During this month, in particular, we felt it was important to publicly reaffirm this agency’s resolve to place local children in good homes where they can get the love and care they deserve.”

November, which is National Adoption Month in the United States, was created to raise awareness about the adoption of children from foster care. According to a Census 2000 report, more than 2 percent of children in the United States – approximately 1.6 million – are adopted. In Florida, more than 8,000 children were adopted statewide from 2000 to 2001.

As the only licensed minority-owned and operated child-placement agency in the Southeastern United States, FEC provides care for approximately 250-350 children on a monthly basis and is responsible for placing many of the foster children in adoptive homes in Hillsborough County. During its 15-year history, the agency has touched the lives of more than 4,000 vulnerable children and families in crisis.

About The Family Enrichment Center

With a mission to address the social service and family support needs of Hillsborough County’s most vulnerable children, the Family Enrichment Center (FEC) has been recognized as one of the county’s most prolific non-profit organizations.

The agency provides services in the community that range from training for prospective foster and adoptive parents and services to people impacted by HIV/AIDS, to managing group homes for foster girls with a history of difficulty adapting to a traditional foster home environment as well as boys ages 12-17 awaiting permanent placements. In addition, the agency operates a kinship support program for grandparents who have taken on the responsibility of raising the children of other relatives.

For more information about FEC, visit the web site at www.fectampa.org.