About us
About The Children's Collective of Florida
Currently serving Martin County and the Treasure Coast — built here, building for Florida.
The local need
Why this matters here
Martin County is home to roughly 26,000 children — and to The Children's Collective of Florida. Our county's prosperity hides real need: about 1 in 9 local children lives in poverty, and behind every foster-care removal or kinship placement is a household scrambling for basics and a local program working to support them.
In a single year, our county sees:
- 1,319child-maltreatment reports
- 115children served in foster care
- ~6 in 10removed children placed with relatives — kinship caregivers, the least-funded caregivers in the system
- 15%of children in care placed in group homes — nearly double the state rate
Sources: U.S. Census; AFCARS/NCANDS FFY2022; FL Dept. of Health CHARTS; CCKids 2024 Annual Report.
No single organization can meet all of this alone. CCOF strengthens the local network already doing the work — through our flagship program, the Collective Kids Closet, coming to Martin County in late 2026.
Our mission
Why we exist
The Children's Collective of Florida supports children and families across Florida through donated goods, affordable community resale programs, and partnerships. We turn everyday generosity into real resources — clothing, essentials, and dignity — for children in foster care, kinship homes, and families navigating crisis. Powered by community, we meet families at their moment of greatest need and reinvest the proceeds of our work into the programs and services that support them.
Our flagship program, Collective Kids Closet, is coming to Martin County in late 2026— an affordable community resale program for quality kids' goods, open to everyone, with proceeds reinvested in local programs that serve children.
Meet our founder
Stephanie Haskins
Founded by Stephanie Haskins, The Children's Collective of Florida was born from Christian faith, motherhood, and a belief that everyday generosity can create lasting opportunities for children.
Stephanie Haskins is the Founder and President of The Children's Collective of Florida, a nonprofit created to connect community generosity with practical support for children and families in need.
Guided by her Christian faith and a heart for children, Stephanie has spent years supporting organizations focused on foster care, family support, youth development, and community outreach. After becoming a mother to her daughter, Summer, she became even more aware of how quickly children outgrow clothing, toys, and essentials — and how many families could benefit from those same resources.
That realization inspired the creation of The Children's Collective of Florida and its first program, The Collective Kids Closet. Stephanie's vision is to create a clear, trusted place where families can donate gently used children's items, shop affordable quality goods, and support programs serving children throughout Florida.
I started The Children's Collective of Florida as a mother, not an institution — so let me make you a promise you can hold me to. Every item that reaches a Treasure Coast family will be inspected, cleaned, and chosen the way I'd choose it for my own children — never disposable surplus. The proceeds from The Collective Kids Closet are reinvested in our community — supporting local programs that serve children in foster care, crisis, and mentoring. And we will show you where it goes. We're starting small, on purpose, because trust is built one honored donation and one well-served family at a time.
Governance
Our board of directors
A volunteer board accountable to our mission and our community.
Stephanie Haskins
Founder & President
Amy Mendez
Vice President
Ashley Gregory
Treasurer
Isabel Rodas Torres
Secretary
Tracie Mallett
Director at Large
Transparency
A registered 501(c)(3) public charity
- Federal EIN
- 42-2020310
- FL Charitable Registration
- No. CH83131
- IRS Determination
- Letter dated May 12, 2026 (effective April 13, 2026)