Connie M. Frankino
Connie M. Frankino has always been a voice for abused and abandoned children. When she learned that our local foster care system was in crises, she decided to do something about it. For over a decade as Founder and Chairman of The Board of KidSanctuary Campus, she has led the crusade to create a family style campus with beautiful cottages for children in the local foster care system.
KidSanctuary Campus was founded in 2009 with a mission to ensure that each child that lives on campus receive the benefits of a sense of belonging and permanency in a caring and positive environment that nurtures self-esteem and hope. The children stay in one of four beautiful cottages on the secure 10-acre campus in West Palm Beach until they are re-united with parents, adopted or age out of the system.
In December of 2012, under Connie’s steadfast leadership, KidSanctuary Campus opened the doors of its first home, The Rubin Cottage. The second home, The Dodero Family Cottage, celebrated its grand opening on August 1, 2014, and in honor of Connie’s late husband, Sam’s Cottage for Boys opened in 2015.
The Sprayregen Cottage for Boys opened in 2018 and this cottage along with a beautiful outdoor Pavilion completed Phase 1 of the KidSanctuary Campus Development Plan. All of the cottages are debt-free and are decorated with love by over 40 local designers and over 200 local vendors. KidSanctuary Campus is a vital community resource and it is more important today than ever.
KidSanctuary Campus has launched the 1000 Wishes Ambassadors Campaign to name and support the completion of the campus and the new Angel Crossing Enrichment Center, which is scheduled to break ground in Spring/Summer 2019. The center will serve as a nucleus for children living on campus and will include case management offices, therapy and tutoring suites, a library and study center, a theatre, multi-purpose room for special events and family visits and more.
Changing Lives- KidSanctaury Campus Stories of Impact
To date, KidSanctuary Campus has served over 87 children, with average length of stay being 6 months to a year. Studies show that it is so important to keep siblings together and currently we have four sibling groups residing on campus. We are proud that all four of our high school students have been accepted into college and that one of them saved enough money to buy her own car while graduating with a 4.0 GPA. While one teenager learned to drive on campus another learned to ride a bike for the first time. Each of the children are different but they all leave with a sense of purpose and the new Enrichment center will ensure that they have the tools they need to have a brighter tomorrow.
