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In Hillsborough County, Florida, the national organization Isaiah 117 House is taking a significant step to support children entering the foster care system. On Wednesday, community members and supporters gathered to inscribe words of encouragement on the foundation of a new home being constructed specifically for these children. This gesture took place before the installation of drywall, embedding messages of hope and inspiration within the structure itself.
The purpose of this house is to provide a welcoming space where children can stay for up to 24 hours during their transition into the foster care system. Without such a facility, many children face the unsettling prospect of waiting in offices or sleeping in cubicles. The new home in Hillsborough County promises a more compassionate alternative.
Gary Schwenke, representing the owners of Isaiah 117 House, expressed his appreciation for the heartfelt messages written on the walls. “It’s just really neat, after it’s all over, to walk around and see the things that were written on these walls, you know, the support, but also just the love,” he remarked.
This marks the first Isaiah 117 House in the county, part of the organization’s mission to transform the initial experience of foster care for children. Bible verses and prayers have also been inscribed on the wooden frames, creating an environment filled with positivity and comfort for every child who enters.
It’s the first Isaiah 117 House in the county. The organization aims to change the way foster care begins. They wrote bible verses and prayers on wooden frames to surround every foster child who comes in.
“It’s always nice to go around and see the little kid handwriting and the sweet things that they’ve written about the other kids that are about to become and served here,” said Schwenke.
Kayla Bain with Isaiah 117 House said when the state removes a child from a home, due to abuse or neglect, they have to sit at an office, and sleep in cubicles until they are put in a foster home. It’s known as removal day, and Bain said an office is no place for a child to wait on a hard day like that.
“This is a place for the children to come to after they are removed from their home to be loved on and really just cared for in that really traumatic moment,” said Bain.
Bain said Hillsborough County has a pretty high removal rate. The Children’s Network of Hillsborough is the leading child welfare agency in the county. Their data shows 66 children entered foster care in December 2025 and 67 exited. This past January, 39 left foster care and 15 entered. The Children’s Network compiled data from the Florida Department of Children and Families, showing the top removal zip codes from the last 13 months include 33612, 33610, 33613, 33579 and 33617.
This house is outside of those zip codes, and aspires to be a safe and comfortable transition point for children.
“We want those children to experience love, obviously, when they walk in, but we want them to walk into the home and say, wow, this place is beautiful. And we can say, hey, we built this for you,” said Schwenke.
The house is set to open toward the end of summer. This will be the organizations third house to open in Florida. They are working on opening two more homes in Sarasota County and Marion County.