Family Central’s HIPPY Team Earns National Recognition
Kids In Distress & Family Central
Family Central’s Tri-County HIPPY team was nationally recognized with three prestigious awards at the 2025 HIPPY National Conference in Baltimore, Maryland.
We’re proud to announce that Martha Gomez, Family Central’s HIPPY Coordinator for Palm Beach County, was honored with the Dr. Avima Lombard Award for Coordinator of the Year. This prestigious award celebrates individuals who exemplify Dr. Lombard’s legacy through their dedication to educational equity and improving the lives of young children and their families.
Family Central also received the Dr. Avima Lombard Organizational Award for its innovation and leadership in advancing HIPPY’s mission—empowering families and promoting school readiness across South Florida.
As an added surprise, Family Central was recognized with the “Champion of Family Empowerment” award, which honors organizations that serve as national models for family-centered support, strong partnerships, and a steadfast commitment to early childhood development.
We proudly celebrate these achievements with our outstanding HIPPY team leaders: Martha Gomez (Palm Beach), Diana Palacios (Miami), and Clara Perea (Broward).
Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY)
Our HIPPY program is a home-based early learning program that empowers parents—especially in low-income households with limited education—to become their child’s first teacher. Locally, HIPPY is funded by The University of South Florida, The Children’s Trust and The A.D. Henderson Foundation. Designed for children ages 2–5, HIPPY provides families in Broward, Palm Beach, and Miami-Dade with developmentally appropriate materials, books, and curriculum to strengthen cognitive, literacy, social-emotional, and physical development, helping children reach their full potential before entering school.
ABOUT KIDS IN DISTRESS & FAMILY CENTRAL
Kids In Distress (KID) and Family Central (FCI) are committed to strengthening families and ensuring children thrive through a continuum of care focused on prevention, intervention, and education. Together, impacting over 20,000 children and families annually through foster care, early childhood education, family support services, counseling, and nutrition programs. With over 98 years of combined service, KID and FCI remain a cornerstone of support for South Florida’s most vulnerable children and families.
For more information about Kids In Distress, please visit www.kidinc.org or follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/KidsInDistress and Instagram @kidsindistress. For more about Family Central, visit www.familycentral.org or follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/FCSouthFL and Instagram @fci4kids.
Suhaill Ruano
Kids In Distress
+1 954-868-4564
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