Press Release
Florence Crittenton Programs of South Carolina (FCP) is excited to announce that at the request of Representative Wendell Gilliard, funding for FCP has been earmarked in the South Carolina state budget to support the general operations of FCP Residential Program.
For over 125 years, the FCP Residential Program has provided services to address the unique needs of pregnant and parenting teens to support their journey toward becoming self-sufficient parents. Florence Crittenton is the state's only licensed group home for pregnant and parenting teens under the age of 18. The organization is open 365 days a year, providing 24-hour trauma-informed support and supervision for pregnant and parenting teens between the ages of 10-21 and their infants up to 2 years of age.
“Each day, 8 girls under the age of 19 give birth in South Carolina. Like all parents, they want to be able to provide a good life for their child,” said Cheryl O'Donnell, Executive Director of Florence Crittenton. “We thank Rep. Gilliard and his colleagues in the legislature for ensuring we can continue to provide girls with a safe, nurturing environment to grow into the parents they want to be .”
The Residential Program not only provides the basic needs for safe and secure housing, including food, clothing, hygiene products and other essentials for young mothers and their infants, but also provides each young woman the parenting skills, life skills, and resources in order to instill self-worth and self-sufficiency. Through case management, educational and health services, career readiness support, and parenting education, Florence Crittenton residents can build a foundation for a life of independence. In 2022, 90% of residents made educational improvements, 100% improved employment readiness skills, and 96% improved parenting skills.
This funding from the state of South Carolina will allow Florence Crittenton Programs to provide a holistic approach to empowering young women and allowing the realization of their full potential as a valued member of the South Carolina community.
Located in downtown Charleston, SC, Florence Crittenton Programs of South Carolina has been serving the entire state of South Carolina since 1897. Florence Crittenton's mission is to provide hope, safety, and opportunity to young women in order to instill self-worth and self-sufficiency. Florence Crittenton values the right of every young woman to obtain the education, skills, and support needed to have a healthy life – for today and tomorrow.
For more information, visit florencecrittentonsc.org
