Our Community

A Message from Our Co-Founder, Loranne Ausley

Whole Child is a true community collaboration. Eleven years ago it started as an idea. It's amazing to see how far we have come and so gratifying to see what can happen when we work together. We would not be where we are today without the Lawton Chiles Foundation, the United Way and our many partners.

I'm often asked "What exactly is Whole Child?" Honestly, it's so many things that it's hard to answer the question. Our mission is "Building a community where everyone works together to make sure children thrive." Perhaps I can sum it up with the story of the mighty African tribe of the Masai.

No tribe is considered to be more fearsome or intelligent. The traditional greeting that passes between Masai warriors translates into "How are the children?" The traditional response is "The children are well." What a statement this makes as to the value placed on children in the Masai culture! What a difference it might make in our own communities is we were to take on this practice.

That's what Whole Child is about. Building a community where every day we all ask "How are the children?" How does what I am doing here in my own life impact the children? How can we do things differently to make sure that our entire community is providing the supports necessary for all children to thrive?

Thank you for visiting our website. Click on the links at right to learn more about the many individuals and groups in our community that are already a part of Whole Child. We hope you'll join us in building a community where everyone works together to make sure children thrive.

Loranne Ausley, Chair
Whole Child of Florida