Proceeds from The 2024 Gasparilla Cars in the Park benefit..

Champions for Children has served the Tampa Bay area since 1977 and envisions a world free from child abuse and neglect. Our work follows a proactive, prevention-first model that is committed to building strong families as support for thriving children.  

CFC is the Tampa Bay area’s leading agency dedicated exclusively to the prevention of child abuse and neglect. We do this through family education, with approximately 30,000 children, parents, and supportive adults benefiting  from their participation in our nationally  accredited programs and services annually. 

Today, Champions is a nationally-accredited agency working to prevent abuse and neglect through the following:

• Improving birth outcomes for pregnant women
• Supporting healthy social-emotional development in infants and children
• Building parental self-confidence
• Ensuring children are developmentally on track and ready to learn

We ensure that children are safe and nurtured to develop to their highest potential. This leads to better long-term economic, civic, and health outcomes for our community. 

Our Mission

Champions for Children’s mission is to build stronger families with thriving children throughout the Tampa Bay area through child abuse prevention and family education programs.  

• Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties are among the highest in Florida for the most reported and confirmed cases of child abuse and neglect.
• Each day in Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties, an average of 88 hotline calls are made to report cases of child abuse and neglect. Half of those calls are for children 5 years and younger.
• An average of 25,000 babies are born annually in our Tampa Bay service areas, contributing to the total population of 126,000 for children under 5 years old. On average, half of those children are not ready to enter kindergarten.

We work with families to create positive childhood experiences. We do this through: 

• Providing Parents with Education and Support 
• Working with Parents and Children Together to Build Strong Bonds 
• Raising Understanding & Awareness in Our Community 

Our objectives are to: 

• Help parents prepare for childbirth and care for a newborn 
   
• Give parents and caregivers the confidence and knowledge they need to provide a healthy home environment 
   
• Assisting children in reaching key milestones in their learning and development 

Visit the Champions for Children Website