For Florida Community Innovation (FCI)’s first service spotlight of a resource featured on the Florida Community Resource Map, we are more than pleased to highlight the incredible work being done by New Hope for Kids. New Hope for Kids is featured on the FCI’s Florida Community Resource Map, thanks to our partnership with the Central Florida Foundation.
New Hope For Kids works across Florida, offering grief support to children who have recently lost a loved one. At the forefront of this organization sits Dave Joswick, its Executive Director, with years of experience in human services and nonprofit work. I had the opportunity to sit down with Mr. Joswick and discuss the mission behind the organization, as well as upcoming plans for the New Hope community.
I found that the driving force behind Dave’s dedication and passion comes from his own experience with grief. New Hope for Kids has provided an extraordinary amount of relief and compassion to children who have lost a loved one. One instance Dave mentioned was a family of three, including a mother and two children aged 9 and 6 who were grieving the loss of their father. Dave bonded with one of the children, and acted as a father figure for the grief support group. Even in the smallest of ways, such as through playing dodgeball or working on arts and crafts, Dave brought a sense of comfort and tranquility many of these children needed.
Having participated in the FCI internship, I became more knowledgeable about the logistics and harsh reality of operating a successful non-profit. I decided to ask Dave about the barriers he faced in promoting New Hope´s services. His perspective was the following: “Social services tend not to be well publicized due to limited operating budgets at social service organizations. There are few social service directories available for people to search through. Most social service organizations are in a constant search of advertising channels to create awareness of their services.”
Hearing the perspective of an executive director of a non-profit organization put in perspective the importance of the FCI Resource Map. The Map provides a platform to promote the work of vital organizations like New Hope for Kids.
New Hope for Kids continues to offer grief counseling through the COVID-19 pandemic. More virtual opportunities are being offered and volunteering or donating is always encouraged. Because I have firsthand experienced the overwhelming grief of losing a parent, New Hope for Kids and their mission provides me with a newfound sense of hope and drive.
To find out more about this organization, please visit: newhopeforkids.org. The organization is also featured on our resource map and on FCI’s social media platforms. We thank New Hope for Kids and Mr. Joswick for his amazing dedication and time.
Dianelda Pulido, the author of this post, interned with FCI during the Fall 2021 semester and worked on this post as a volunteer during the Spring 2022 semester.