Place of Hope Celebrates 25 Years of Transforming Lives, Wins Major Regional Honor as Nonprofit of the Year!

PALM BEACH, Fla., June 12, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — One of the nation’s most impactful and trusted nonprofits just marked a major milestone. Place of Hope, the region’s leading organization for foster care, affordable housing, and human trafficking prevention, is celebrating 25 years of service—and has been officially named Nonprofit of the Year by the Palm Beach Chamber of Commerce.

The prestigious award, presented last night at the Palm Beach Chamber’s Annual Leadership Awards gala, represents a crowning moment for the organization and its founder, Charles Bender, who was also recently named Ed Tancer Community Leader of the Year by the Palm Beach North Chamber of Commerce. The accolades underscore what many already know: Place of Hope is in a class of its own. “To be recognized as Nonprofit of the Year in such a philanthropic, visionary community is a tremendous honor,” said Bender, Founding CEO. “This recognition belongs to the children and families we serve, the dedicated staff who show up every day, and our generous partners and supporters who make our work possible. We are not slowing down—we are just getting started.”

Founded in 1998, Place of Hope has served more than 200,000 children, youth, and families across South Florida—offering a robust continuum of care, from foster care and adoption to transitional housing and anti-trafficking initiatives. Known for its financial transparency, deep community partnerships and perfect four-star rating by Charity Navigator, the organization operates across multiple campuses in Palm Beach Gardens, West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, and Stuart—and remains debt-free after raising over $200 million under Bender’s leadership. Place of Hope is more than a nonprofit, it’s a movement, reshaping how Florida supports its most vulnerable populations.

Major Milestones Over 25 Years:

• 2006 – Launched Villages of Hope: Transitional housing and life skills for homeless youth
• 2010 – Opened Joann’s Cottage Maternity Home
• 2012 – Opened Florida’s first safe house for minor victims of sex trafficking
• 2018 – Rolled out Human Trafficking Prevention & Awareness Program across the region
• 2022 – Relaunched Shade Tree Family Outreach to support single mothers and families in crisis
• 2024 – First charity to partner with Crime Stoppers expanding trafficking awareness and reporting
• Ongoing – Facilitated over 375 adoptions, 600 siblings kept together, 400 young adults successfully transitioned into stable, independent adulthood.

As Place of Hope looks ahead, its vision is bold: expand transitional housing, scale education and workforce development, and combat trafficking before it happens. The organization continues to lead with innovation, purpose, and faith setting a gold standard not just in Palm Beach County, but nationally. Whether you’re a donor, volunteer, or someone who believes in the power of second chances now is the time to get involved. With big plans underway, Place of Hope is calling on the community to help write its next chapter. “Our mission remains the same,” said Bender. “To be a place where every child is known, loved, seen, and safe.”

For more information about Place of Hope, its programs, and future initiatives, visit www.placeofhope.com

About Place of Hope:
Place of Hope is the largest, most diverse, faith-based, state licensed children and families organization focused on providing programs and services to end the cycles of abuse, neglect, homelessness and human trafficking in Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast. Since opening our doors in 2001, we have provided support to over 150,000 children, youth, and families in need. Our goal is to help those we serve find healing and restoration, which leads to a successful future. In addition to our family style foster care, we also provide transitional affordable housing programs for aged out foster youth and single new mothers.

Media Contact: Emily Pantelides
[email protected]
904-477-2306

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/56878db3-ac79-44c8-b0f3-6e0161ecb493

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