2025 Annual Impact Report
EMPOWER. UPLIFT. SUPPORT.
Letter from Executive Director
Erin Authier-Lohr
As we reflect on 2025, we are filled with gratitude and hope. Because of you, Hero To A Child continued to grow as a strong and trusted partner in the community of care, serving 3,447 children impacted by abuse and neglect across the Sixth Judicial Circuit in Pinellas and Pasco counties.
This year, we worked intentionally to EMPOWER youth to believe in and build their own futures. Through our Adulting 101 Teen Conference, teens connected with more than a dozen local agencies and support services, gaining practical tools and inspiration to create a vision for what comes next.
We were honored to UPLIFT the spirit, courage, and mental well-being of children through their time with Polar during his first full year serving the community. Whether in court, therapy, or medical settings, Polar’s steady presence brought comfort in some of the most stressful moments in care.
And we continued to SUPPORT the immediate and individual needs of children - providing clothing, beds, and personal care items; funding participation in sports and the arts; and creating meaningful opportunities for siblings placed apart to spend time together. Our first year in our new office, complete with a dedicated resource closet, strengthened our ability to respond quickly and thoughtfully when children need us most.
Over the past five years, our impact has grown significantly—reaching more children, deepening partnerships, and expanding programs to meet evolving needs. As we look ahead, we do so with excitement and determination. Together, we will continue to empower, uplift, and support children and youth in foster care—creating brighter, more hopeful futures for all.
Jaycee has been in foster care since she was eight years old. After moving through several foster homes, she has spent the past five years living in a group home where she has worked hard to stay focused on school and build stability. This spring, Jaycee will reach a milestone she has been working toward for years—graduating from high school.
Through our Children’s Needs program, Hero To A Child helped purchase Jaycee’s cap and gown so she could walk across the stage with pride. We also provided support for a prom dress, ensuring she could take part in one of the most memorable traditions of her senior year.
Jaycee loves video games and is still exploring what comes next as she approaches adulthood. She is considering extended foster care as she plans for her future. While the road ahead may still hold questions, moments like graduation and prom give teens like Jaycee the chance to celebrate how far they’ve come—and to feel proud of everything they have achieved.
Total Investment: $324
Senior Year
Celebrations
Meeting Children’s Needs
1046
1600
392
Daily
Individual needs met
Why Children Enter Foster Care
Children and youth enter the Pinellas/Pasco foster care system due to abuse, neglect, or parental challenges (e.g., substance abuse, mental health issues, domestic violence, incarceration). The system is overseen by the Florida Department of Children & Families and Family Support Services. Hero To A Child is a non-governmental agency, with a mission to help these kids find stability, permanency, and full lives beyond foster care.
Holiday wishes granted
Resource closet visits
Every child’s story is unique, and the needs that support their path toward healing, stability, and a brighter future are just as unique. Through our Children’s Needs program, Hero To A Child remains flexible and responsive, meeting kids where they are and providing the resources that help them thrive. Often, our role is to equip the caring adults in a child’s life with what they need to provide safety, comfort, and opportunity. Our goal is to be support that is deeply felt, even when it isn’t always seen.
Demographics of Children Served
A Simple Bed,
a Major Impact
Charles loves science experiments, swimming, and video games. While he and his sister, Kaly, are safely placed with their aunt and uncle, their mother is working diligently toward reunification.
The need for beds for the kids became a small but important barrier in their reunification journey. By providing a bunk bed and bedding for the siblings we helped prepare her household to welcome her children back and created a safe, consistent place for them to sleep during visits. We were honored to support stability, dignity, and a hopeful path toward bringing their family back together.
“Something so simple has made a major impact on the kids. We are all so appreciative.”
-Guardian ad Litem Volunteer
Our Financials
In 2025, Hero To A Child received generous financial contributions totaling $999,732 in support of children impacted by abuse and neglect. Thanks to the trust of our donors and sponsors, 83% of every dollar spent went directly to programs and services that empower, uplift, and support children and youth in foster care. Your investment fuels birthday celebrations with siblings, beds for safe sleep, sports team registrations, therapies, and so much more. We are deeply grateful for your partnership and belief in our mission. Because of you, thousands of children experienced hope, stability, and opportunity this year. Thank you to every donor who made this life-changing impact possible.
A Hero for
All Kids
Our community showed up in powerful ways this year. The Unsung Heroes Brunch and Mission in-Pasco-ble events brought together champions for children from across the region, raising awareness and critical support for youth in foster care. Thanks to the generosity of sponsors, attendees, and volunteers, more than 250 guests joined us and helped raise over $250,000 to support our mission. We were also honored to be selected as a charity partner for the 2025 Queen of Hearts Ball and to benefit from the Sons of the American Legion Golf and Mini-Golf tournaments. We are deeply grateful to every partner who helped make these events possible and look forward to continuing this momentum together in the years ahead.
“Giving back has always been important to me, both personally and professionally. As a business owner and former Guardian ad Litem, I’ve seen how powerful it is when a community comes together for children in foster care. Supporting Hero To A Child has been an incredibly rewarding partnership, knowing we are helping create brighter futures for kids who need it most.”
-Anna Brumbaugh, Keller Williams Gulfside Realty
Our first year with
Polar
In his first full year, Polar brought comfort and calm to children during some of their most vulnerable moments. His steady presence helped kids feel safe in courtrooms, hospitals, therapy sessions, forensic interviews, and medical exams. A simple touch or quiet moment with Polar became a source of courage and peace.
This work was possible thanks to partnerships with local judges, courthouses, schools, and the Guardian ad Litem Office. Polar’s impact even extended to Project Home for the Holidays, a statewide human trafficking recovery effort, offering reassurance to youth during sensitive times.
We are grateful to Canine Companions for entrusting us with Polar and to every partner who welcomed him with open arms. Through puppy kisses, quiet companionship, and loyal support, Polar continues to help children feel safe, seen, and supported.
276
In every setting, Polar’s presence brings comfort, courage, and calm when children need it most.
3
48
205
Polar’s Impact by the Numbers
20
Children felt safer and more supported during their time in court.
Youth were comforted after human trafficking recovery efforts.
Teens were greeted with tail wags, hugs, and encouragement at the Adulting 101 Teen Conference.
Children were comforted by Polar before and after medical exams, forensic interviews, or therapy sessions at the Child Advocacy Center.
Children total experienced moments of peace and emotional support alongside Polar this year.
Thank you to our
Heroes
Your generosity makes our work possible. We are honored you have entrusted us to do this work. Thank you to all our supporters, including our major donors recognized here: