Joshua House, an emergency shelter home program operated by the Gulf Coast Division of the Children's Home Society, provides a safe nurturing environment where Tampa Bay's abused, neglected, and abandoned children heal from the pain they've experienced in their young lives.

 

The Story of Joshua House

Nineteen years ago, a group of concerned citizens, including Dottie Berger MacKinnon, Bob Thomas, Olin Mott, Jim Zimmerman, Laurence Hall, Greg Johnson, Alberto de Alejos, and others dreamed of a safe haven for the abused, neglected, and abandoned children in the Tampa Bay area.

That dream was realized in the creation of Joshua House, a therapeutic residential shelter that provides a safe, nurturing, family-like environment for children twelve and younger. These children have been removed from their homes by the Department of Children and Families and have been through multiple foster homes due to significant abuse. Joshua House has no less than 60 children living in five homes on a beautiful 11 acre lot, complete with a playground and a recreational area.

Joshua House is unique in providing Master-level therapists to work with our children daily, providing individual or group therapy to overcome their personal demons. In addition, to providing for the emotional and psychological needs, Joshua House also uses the T.O.P.S. Program to teach these kids self-help and life skills.

It is not easy to look into the eyes of a child whose life has been shattered by abuse, betrayal, and pain, but Joshua House accepts this challenge because we know that their spirits can be healed just as their bodies are. Sixty children live at Joshua House and literally a thousand children have passed through our doors since it opened in 1992, unfortunately, there are still hundreds more to come.

Joshua House is a program of the Children’s Home Society of Florida. We thank you for continuing Joshua House’s service in our community through your support.