by Marilyn Young, freelance writer for United Way of Northeast Florida

Elizabeth Hosey, her daughters Colleen and Helena, and her fiancé Jorgie Fis

Elizabeth Hosey proudly stood before an audience sharing how Full Service Schools (FSS) transformed her family. It is a story she’s happy to tell over and over because she wants families facing challenges to know help is available—to realize they don’t have to figure everything out on their own.

Her family’s journey began when her 11-year-old daughter Colleen was having behavioral and attention deficit issues and her youngest daughter Helena, 7, was struggling to handle her anger. Hosey asked the speech therapist at Jacksonville Heights Elementary School for a referral for help.

That led her to Full Service Schools, which provides a range of services to Duval County students and their families through a collaboration with United Way of Northeast Florida and several other community partners. The numbers from 2013 to 2023 help illustrate Full Service Schools’ reach:

• More than 55,500 requests for services
• About 28,600 consents to student-focused mental health services
• Over 357,300 people served

But personal stories like Hosey’s show the impact beyond the numbers. They illustrate the evolution families make together. They prove lives can truly be changed.

Hosey said the audience was excited to hear directly from someone who benefited from the program. And she was happy to be there, knowing her family made it through some tough times and learned how to navigate rough waters in the future.

Helping children learn tools for success

Part of her family’s transformation came through working with McKenzi Shelpman, a clinical counselor with Family Foundations of Northeast Florida, one of United Way’s FSS partners. Shelpman knew when she was 16 that she wanted to work in the mental health field.

“I grew up in a very small town that did not place much emphasis on mental health at all,” she said.

After meeting Hosey’s family, Shelpman said she wanted to help Colleen build her self-confidence, to give her what she needed to handle big feelings she experienced.

“There’s no better feeling than creating confidence in yourself,” Shelpman said.

Hosey said the sessions with Shelpman were incredibly helpful for her daughters, equipping them with coping skills. For example, she said Colleen learned how to communicate if she was getting upset, instead of exploding with anger.

“She learned to walk away from the issue and calm herself down,” Hosey said.

And Helena gained more confidence in knowing how to express herself, including being able to verbalize what was making her mad, Hosey added.

Colleen and Helena playing in a park

Program has wide reach in Duval County

Programs like Full Service Schools are especially critical in counties like Duval, where there is such a diverse student population. Angela McGuire served as program coordinator for Full Service Schools Westside for just under two years (she was recently promoted to director of community impact at United Way).

Angela McGuire, Director, Community Impact

McGuire said each FSS site—there are eight in Duval County—provides services based on the needs of specific neighborhoods. That can include food and clothing pantries, teacher and student school supplies, after-school tutoring and mental health counseling.

“Whether it’s providing free mental health services or helping families with their basic needs, our mission is to eliminate barriers to student success,” she said.

Healing families

Hosey’s family, including her fiancé Jorgie Fis, was transformed by the help they received from Full Service Schools, thanks to United Way.

Her daughters are getting along better because they’ve learned how to communicate with each other. If they hit a roadblock, they try to work it out themselves. They have far fewer arguments, which means there’s much more peace in their home.

Testimonials from other families in the program illustrate similar experiences.

One parent whose child attends Riverside High School said there has been a significant improvement in her daughter, who is making better choices.

A parent whose son attends Chimney Lakes Elementary said the child is more expressive with his mom. “He can explain himself without getting angry,” she said.

And a student at Ed White High School no longer gets into physical fights and has been able to open up more at home.

These stories, along with Hosey’s, illustrate the legacy of a program that has transformed families for years. A program that will continue to bring hope to families in the future.

Donations from individuals like you are critical in continuing life-saving work through United Way of Northeast Florida and our partners. Give today to change a life forever.