What began as a vision from Dottie Berger MacKinnon to create a group foster home in Eastern Hillsborough County that would keep siblings together has grown into a thriving, 13-acre campus — and it continues to expand.
This April, A Kid’s Place marked a major milestone with the groundbreaking of the MacKinnon Family Activity Center, a new 12,000-square-foot facility designed to enhance services and experiences for the children in its care. The center will feature an expanded indoor gathering space for birthdays, holidays and other celebrations, as well as additional rooms for therapy, family visitation, arts and crafts and vocational training. The building will also include an educational computer lab and dedicated areas to support the ‘Stepping Stones’ program, which helps youth ages 13 and up develop independent living skills. Outdoor features will include a basketball court, courtyard, swimming pool and exercise room.
Leaders, board members, staff, volunteers, donors and community officials gathered for the groundbreaking ceremony, which included presentations, refreshments and campus tours.
“This is so heartwarming,” said Sandy MacKinnon, husband of founder Dottie. “Sheriff David Gee wanted a place to take kids that deputies could bring kids day or night where they could have love and affection and the caring that they so desperately need.”
Hillsborough County has also played a key role in the organization’s continued growth. Myers attended the event and shared the county’s commitment to the cause.
“Today is special, and these children are looking for the same hope and opportunity as us, and the county contributed $900,000 to help. And this is what it’s all about, we invest in our communities,” she said.
A Kid’s Place has served the Tampa Bay region since its founding in 2009, providing a safe, home-like environment for children removed from their homes due to abuse, neglect or abandonment. Located on a 5-acre site, the campus includes a 60-bed facility that provides care for children from birth to age 17, as well as extended services for young adults ages 18-22 aging out of foster care. The nonprofit’s mission is to keep sibling groups together while meeting the social, educational, medical and emotional needs of each child.
Over the past 16 years, A Kid’s Place has helped more than 1,700 children and 753 families across Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco counties. For more information, visit https://akidsplacetb.org/.
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