OUR CAMPUS
Founded by Dottie Berger MacKinnon and a community of caring leaders and philanthropists, A Kid’s Place was established with children’s best interest in mind.
Brothers and sisters reside in a home-like setting with live-in house parents and safely live together in one of the five (5) homes located on the spacious five acre campus built to resemble a neighborhood cul-de-sac. . The children benefit from a family “house-parent” model and often times this is the first positive family setting they have been exposed to in their young lives. Keeping siblings together is paramount to the children and their development; providing a safe, stable, and loving environment in an otherwise traumatic period in their lives.
Our children, not only have life enriching activities, they also have access to onsite education, wellness exams, behavioral, dental, educational, and speech development services. The ultimate goal is to provide these quality services to our children as well as enable the foster care system adequate time to place these children together as a group, keeping the family united. Since opening in 2009, more than 1,487 foster children and more than 648 families have been served by this important community initiative.
Dottie Berger MacKinnon House
Although our fearless leader is no longer with us, we know she looks down upon us and is proud of the work we continue to do for brothers and sisters in foster care. Dottie Berger MacKinnon’s legacy is more than the bricks and mortar that built A Kid’s Place, more than her advocacy for our most vulnerable children, and more than the funds she raised. Dottie’s legacy can be summarized by the smiles she puts on the faces of these children.
When Dottie was diagnosed with cancer, she and her husband Sandy decided to turn personal pain into a way to help others. They launched the Dottie Berger MacKinnon Matching Gift Campaign, “The Gift that Keeps on Giving”. Through the support of family and friends, more than $1 Million was raised to match a gift from her husband Sandy MacKinnon. As a result of the success of the campaign and the affect it has on the future of A Kid’s Place, the Board of Directors honored Dottie with naming one of the five houses at A Kid’s Place the Dottie Berger MacKinnon House. For the children who live there, it is simply the “Dottie” house. We are forever thankful for all Dottie, Sandy, and the MacKinnon Family Foundation have done, and continue to do for brothers and sisters staying at A Kid’s Place.
“Imagine if everyone in the world just helped one person, what a better world it would be.”
Lazydays House
For the past several years the employees of Lazydays, the largest single-site recreational vehicle dealer, have had an unbridled passion for supporting children’s charities in Florida’s Tampa Bay area. In order to enhance their ability to support these causes, they created The Lazydays Employee Foundation, a not-for-profit corporation.
Immediately after hearing about the development of A Kid’s Place and learning about the project, the Foundation pledged to sponsor a house. The employees quickly went to work to raise the pledge money for the Lazydays House, which was accomplished in great part through payroll deductions and internal fundraisers. Today, the Lazydays House is fully furnished and well-stocked with food, clothes, and toys to provide each of its children with a comfortable home environment. After four years of fundraising, the employees of Lazydays were excited and proud to see their dream evolve into a reality. Today, Lazydays Employee Foundation continues to support the home through quarterly activities with the children and financial support.
About the Lazydays Employee Foundation
Lazydays employs approximately 500 employees and their Foundation is led by a volunteer board of directors consisting solely of individuals from departments across the entire company. The directors heading up the board were selected based on the leadership they have demonstrated within the company as well as their commitment to charitable causes within the community. It is the mission of the Foundation to leave an enduring legacy by “measurably changing the lives of children by instilling hope, inspiring dreams and empowering them with education.”
Sammy Sullivan House
Joe and Brenda Sullivan created Sammy Sullivan Charities in memory of their son in hopes of spreading comfort to other families in need. Sammy Sullivan Charities sponsored a house to give back to the community, and to keep their son, Sammy’s memory alive. They rallied all their friends and family to raise funds for A Kid’s Place through their annual golf tournament.
“We chose A Kid’s Place because we wanted to memorialize our son. In light of the fact that he was so young when he died, we thought it would be good to go with an organization that helped kids. A Kid’s Place offers a service that is desperately needed. It just seemed like the right thing to do.” – Joe Sullivan.
Trey Curry House
The Curry family wanted to carry on Trey’s tradition of helping those in need, so in memory of their son, The Trey Curry Foundation pledged to sponsor a house at A Kid’s Place. The goal of The Trey Curry Foundation is to provide assistance to children with learning differences and needs. Terry Curry currently sits on the Board of Directors and the whole Curry family and friends annually hosts a campus wide Easter Egg Hunt with a special visit from the Easter Bunny and baskets for everyone. The Foundation hosts Vine to Wine and other community events throughout the year to continue their support of the children staying at A Kid’s Place.
“When we created the foundation, we talked about what the foundation would be about, and we decided to make it about kids. After spending time here at A Kid’s Place, I can’t think of any greater place to honor him.” – Cliff Curry
About The Trey Curry Foundation
The Curry family created The Trey Curry Foundation to pay tribute to a grandson, son, and brother who was lost too soon. In his memory, his family started The Trey Curry Foundation to provide Financial assistance to children in need. Trey was always available to lend a helping hand, a listening ear, or just be a friend. A very caring young man, hs is remembered for his consideration of others, and acts of kindness, as well as his “Bear Hugs” that he greeted friends and family with, whether he saw you a year ago of just a few hours before. By helping children just as Trey did, they are building a legacy that will forever keep the memory of Trey alive.
Your Name Here
This house is available for sponsorship. Please contact Samatha Mellen at (813) 381-3839 or [email protected].
Administration
From the time you walk into the Wallace-MacKinnon Administrative Building and into the brightly decorated lobby, children and guests are treated to a warm, happy atmosphere. The Welcome Center boasts a life-size tree-house, televisions, sitting area, and play space that ensures there is something for everyone. The Activity Center opens up to the spacious campus and provides plenty of space for games and crafts as well as the occasional party or dance. Rounding out the building are offices for administrative staff, classrooms, and a library.
Education
Classrooms devoted to our Toddler Class, the Pre-Kindergarten classroom, our Education Classroom, and the Hillsborough County classroom for grades kindergarten to 5th are always buzzing with activity. Based on the child’s individual needs, he or she might be engrossed in a Pre-K science project creating a paper mache’ globe or forming real crystals. Toddlers play dress-up and enjoy story time, and the Hillsborough County classroom hosts children from kindergarten to grade 5, working in tandem with Brooker Elementary School.