Manatee Children Services to Move into New Facility

BRADENTON – Manatee Children’s Services, a non-profit child abuse prevention agency, has been an area leader in providing life-saving services to child victims in our community since 1977. Over the years, most of these important programs have been operated from rented office space, with more than a decade being at the current location in Orange Blossom Plaza on Cortez Road. In pursuit of providing the community with a centrally located, child friendly, comprehensive advocacy center, MCS has purchased a new downtown location.

The new building is located at 1227 9th Avennue West. MCS says that a completed move targeted for March of this year.

Throughout the years, MCS has served thousands of child victims and their families by providing Emergency Shelter for children in need of safe haven, group homes for kids in foster care, parenting classes, counseling, relative caregiver support services, abuse prevention programs for children and teens, and a specialized child abuse/neglect forensic evidence team. During MCS’ stay at Orange Blossom Plaza, the property's owner, Mark Famiglio, has been a strong supporter of the agency’s mission to prevent child abuse, often sponsoring MCS’ fundraising events, and connecting the agency with donors.

While the need to co-locate all of the agency’s programs required renting adjacent office space, MCS says it is committed to initiating a capital campaign that will eventually provide the community with a state-of-the-art, comprehensive child advocacy center. Interested supporters are encouraged to contact MCS at 941-345-1200 or visit their website at www.manateechildrensservices.com.