Founded in 1973, the Central Florida Children’s Home (CFCH) takes care of children whose parents can’t or won’t care for them. CFCH is a local 501(c)3 nonprofit solely supported by donations and volunteers. Located on 10 acres right in the heart of bustling Lake Nona, the children’s home can be found off of Narcoossee Road, across the street from Valencia and next to the KOA campgrounds.
The home currently houses 11 children but can support up to 24 at one time. CFCH only accepts siblings and will not separate them at any point. Once the children turn 18, they have the option of living in the transitional housing on the property as long as they are working, in school or both. This gives the young adult the opportunity to still live on the property and visit his or her younger siblings, but also a chance to become more independent.
The home functions with an emphasis on being family-oriented and on academic achievement to ensure the children are well prepared for vocational training or higher academic studies. The focus on feeling and maintaining a real “home” atmosphere translates over to assigning chores and responsibilities to the children to help develop discipline and character.
House dad RJ Fontana and his wife, Jordan, known as the house mom, manage the Lake Nona children’s home. The couple strongly believes in family. “I think that’s our biggest goal … to make it feel like a family setting, rather than just some institution they were sent to,” Mrs. Fontana stated passionately.
Jordan formerly worked in the medical field and RJ was a veterinary technician, but the reason they ended up where they are now is truly awe-inspiring. “I can relate to the kids,” stated Mr. Fontana. “I was in foster care from ages three to 18. We found the perfect niche of what we were looking for. … We were looking for something that was more family-oriented. When we started working in the children’s home, we found purpose in our lives.”
Mr. Fontana went on to explain how all of the kids play sports and get along. The children’s parents can visit once a month, and they get to go home for the holidays. Phone calls to the children’s families are also allowed once a week.
All of the furniture in the home was graciously donated, and on-site there is a shed intended solely for donations from the community called “Kay’s Kottage.” Mr. Fontana mentioned how the kids are always so eager and excited to check the cottage to see what was donated.
Anyone in the community can visit the children’s home and host events for the kids as long as the house mom and dad are present. Those types of events are intended to remind the children that they are loved and appreciated outside of the home.
“We want to be there, we want to see them graduate, we want to see them grow up. We’re not trying to replace their parents, but we’re trying to be there for them,” Mr. Fontana indicated. “We’re essentially step-parents or co-parents. There will be times we agree and disagree, but we want the same thing of the kids being happy and successful.”
If you are interested in donating to the Central Florida Children’s Home, the items that are always on the needs list are:
- Laundry detergent
- Capri Suns, lunch meats, condiments (for the children’s packed lunches)
- Gift cards (for the children’s birthdays)
The children’s home is also looking for a shuttle bus and a kitchen remodel.
The Central Florida Children’s Home recently hosted a golf tournament fundraiser in late September and is also hosting its annual Christmas Tree sale from Nov. 17 to Dec. 17. The trees are Fraser Fir and range from three to 18 feet. Prices start at $27, and trees are priced by size. One hundred percent of the proceeds go directly to the CFCH. In March, a 5K/10K is taking place, so mark your calendars to make a difference!
Any and all donations to the CFCH are tax deductible. To learn more about how you can help, visit: http://cfch.net/advice/. To donate, visit http://cfch.net/donations/. CFCH is located at 12569 Narcoossee Rd., Orlando 32832. Remember, it’s for the kids!
