🎙️ Fatherhood Matters: Supporting Dads on the Road to Reunification
In this episode, we sit down with Reginald Colston and Matthew Hockenberry, Fatherhood Support Specialists with Heartland for Children’s Fatherhood Engagement Program. They share their passion for walking alongside fathers in the child welfare system—helping them reconnect with their children, overcome barriers, and build stronger, healthier families.

As the state of Florida puts a growing emphasis on the importance of engaging fathers, this program is working to ensure more successful reunifications and long-term family stability. Because dads need support too—and when they thrive, children thrive.

🎧 Tune in for real talk, inspiring stories, and a deeper look at how fatherhood programs are changing lives.

🔗 Learn more about resources for dads: heartlandforchildren.org/fatherhood

To learn more about Healthy Start's TEAM Dad Program, visit https://www.healthystarthhp.org/team-dad/.

Connect with Ray: [email protected] or call 863-512-5702

You can find "Let's Talk About It" on: ⁠https://heartlandforchildren.org/podcast

May is National Foster Care Month and we're back with a very special episode of Let's Talk About It. Our guests Emabella Bryant, Miss Florida Hometown USA Teen, and her adoptive mom, Amanda Bryant, share their journeys of using their own lived experience to "Return Hope" and give back to children and families in the community.

To learn more about Foster Care or Adoption, visit https://heartlandforchildren.org/foster

https://heartlandforchildren.org/adopt

October is Foster Youth Voice Month and in this episode of Let's Talk About It, Kadian, interviews Heartland for Children's TAYS Peer Mentors, Maria Gutierrez and Davonte Smith. Both Maria and Davonte share from a unique perspective, having lived experience in the foster care system and now mentoring youth in foster care. They both have a heart to give back and share why it's important to elevate the voices of our youth in care and the services and resources that are available to them.

To contact our Transition Age Youth Services (TAYS) Department, email [email protected]⁠ or call 863-519-8900 x 238.

To learn more about our TAYS Program, visit https://heartlandforchildren.org/youth

In this episode of "Let's Talk About It", our host, Kadian Parchment, interviews Heartland for Children's Transition Age Youth Services Program Manager, Marquina Butts-Fisher, dive into the services and resources that are made available to youth transitioning out of foster care to help prepare them for adulthood. These include free college tuition at a Florida school/university, housing, life skills, rental assistance and our Transition Age Youth Mentors.

To contact Marquina, email [email protected]⁠ or call (863) 519-8900 x 238.

To learn more about our TAYS Program, visit https://heartlandforchildren.org/youth

You can find "Let's Talk About It" on:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...

Anchor: https://anchor.fm/heartlandforchildren

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3idQlxL...

or https://heartlandforchildren.org/podcast

In this episode of "Let's Talk About It", we discuss with Cherie Perryn, Heartland for Children's Education Specialist, the crucial role of advocacy for children in foster care within the education system. This conversation highlights the unique challenges these children face and what efforts are being made to reduce frequent placement changes, disruptions in their education, as well as providing support and resources to ensure they receive a quality education. Listeners will gain a deeper understanding of the impact of advocacy and how they can get involved in supporting these vulnerable students.

Listen to this interview with Heartland for Children's CEO, Kim Daugherty, and foster parent, Cindy Glover, recently participated in this interview with Lakeland Vision's Trinity Laurino about the need for foster families in our community.

June is National Reunification Month, and in this special episode, we're excited to have Heartland for Children's CEO, Kim Daugherty host a discussion with 3 members of our Parent Advisory Council. These mothers candidly share their experiences of what lead to the removal of their children and what helped get them to the place of being successfully reunified with their kids.