The Guardian ad Litem released a new PSA for the "I am for the child" campaign, an effort in Hillsborough County and across the state to raise awareness of the need for more child advocates.
The program is looking to recruit those who will speak up for children in foster care.
"Children in foster care need a voice," Lauren Dungy, a foster parent, said. "A GAL makes a difference for these children every day."
“There are over 3,600 abused, abandoned and neglected children in our foster care system, more than anywhere else in Florida. About half of these children currently face the dependency court system alone," Tabitha Lambert, Circuit Director for the Hillsborough GAL office, said.
Often a GAL is the one consistent adult in a foster child’s life. Children paired with a GAL volunteer are more likely to perform better in school, receive more services, and even find a forever family more quickly.
“The impact can last a lifetime,” Tony Dungy, a foster parent, said. “To make a difference in a child’s life could not be more rewarding.”
According to Guardian ad Litem, it only takes 10-12 hours per month to volunteer.
For more information on the Guardian ad Litem, click here.