Built on Experience. Driven by Love.
Ohana Youth & Family Solutions is a newly established nonprofit — but the mission behind it is not new. It was born from more than a decade of walking alongside children and families who needed someone to believe in them.
Why I Do This Work
Darius Gilmore
Founder & Executive Director
I did not start Ohana because I wanted to run a nonprofit. I started it because after more than ten years of working with children and families in the child welfare system — and after opening my own home as a licensed foster parent — I could not look away from the gaps that still existed.
I have worked as a Behavioral Specialist, a Family Support Professional, a Trauma-Informed Caregiver, and a Child Welfare Advocate. I have sat with children who arrived with almost nothing. I have watched families fight to stay together against enormous odds. I have seen what happens when a community shows up — and what happens when it does not.
Becoming a licensed foster parent changed me. My home is often filled with children who have experienced trauma, abuse, neglect, and loss. Every day, I see what it means for a child to slowly begin to trust again — to laugh at the dinner table, to sleep through the night, to believe that tomorrow might actually be okay.
Every experience has reinforced one belief: children heal best when they are surrounded by safety, consistency, compassion, and people who refuse to give up on them.
Ohana was created to bring those people together. Not to replace what government agencies and systems do — but to fill the spaces in between. To be the community that wraps around a child and a family and says: we see you, we are here, and we are not going anywhere.
We are new. We are honest about that. But we are not starting from scratch. We are starting from years of real experience, real relationships, and a real commitment to every child and family we serve.
I hope you will join us. Not just as a donor or a volunteer — but as part of the Ohana family.
Why I Said Yes
People sometimes ask me why I became a foster parent. The honest answer is that I could not think of a good reason not to.
I had spent years working in child welfare. I had seen what children in the system needed. I had seen the difference that a stable, caring home could make — and I had seen what happened when that home was not available. At some point, I had to ask myself: if not me, then who?
Saying yes to foster care was not a decision I made lightly. I knew it would be hard. I knew there would be days that tested everything I had. I knew that children who have experienced trauma carry wounds that do not heal quickly or easily.
But I also knew this: every child deserves someone who will say yes. Someone who will open their door, set a place at the table, and refuse to give up — even on the hard days. Especially on the hard days.
I continue saying yes because of what I have witnessed. I have seen children who arrived guarded and withdrawn slowly begin to trust. I have seen children who had never experienced a birthday celebration light up at the sight of a cake with their name on it. I have seen what happens when a child begins to believe — maybe for the first time — that they are worth showing up for.
Those moments are not mine. They belong to the children. But they are the reason I keep saying yes. And they are the reason Ohana exists.
Every program we build, every partnership we form, every volunteer we welcome — it is all in service of creating more of those moments. More children who feel safe. More families who feel supported. More communities that show up.
I am asking you to say yes too. Not necessarily to foster care — though if that is on your heart, I would love to talk. But yes to being part of this community. Yes to believing that children deserve better. Yes to helping build something that will outlast all of us.
Every child deserves someone who will say yes.
Will you be part of that answer?
Why Ohana?
Ohana is a Hawaiian word that means family. But it carries a meaning that goes deeper than biology or legal relationship. In Hawaiian culture, ohana encompasses the idea that family is not just who you are born to — it is who you choose, who you welcome, and who you refuse to leave behind.
There is a phrase that captures it beautifully: Ohana means family. And family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten.
That phrase is not just a saying for us. It is a commitment. It is the standard we hold ourselves to every single day.
We chose this name because we believe that every child in the foster care system — every child who has experienced trauma, loss, or instability — deserves more than temporary care. They deserve belonging. They deserve consistency. They deserve people who continue showing up long after the paperwork is done.
They deserve an Ohana.
And so do the families who care for them. Foster parents, biological families working toward reunification, adoptive families navigating new beginnings — they all need a community that surrounds them with encouragement, resources, and genuine support.
That is what we are building. Not just a nonprofit. Not just a set of programs. A community — an Ohana — where children and families are seen, valued, and never forgotten.
Every child deserves an Ohana —
not just a place to stay, but a place to belong.
The Need Is Real
After years of serving children professionally and personally, one truth became impossible to ignore: there are needs that extend far beyond what government agencies and traditional systems can provide on their own.
The system does important work. But systems cannot replace community. And community is exactly what so many children and families are missing.
Children need communities
Not just services — but people who show up, stay present, and refuse to give up.
Families need encouragement
Foster and biological families alike carry enormous weight. They need support, not judgment.
Foster parents need support
Opening your home to a child in crisis is one of the most demanding things a person can do. No one should do it alone.
Volunteers need opportunities
Thousands of people want to make a difference. They just need a place to start.
Businesses want to give back
Companies and organizations want to invest in their communities in meaningful, lasting ways.
Communities change outcomes
When people come together around a child, everything changes. That is what Ohana is here to build.
Ohana Youth & Family Solutions was created to bring all of those people together — and to build something that will serve children and families in Central Florida for generations.
Every Child Has a Story
We protect the privacy and dignity of every child we serve. But without sharing names or identifying details, we can tell you what many of these children have in common — and what they are capable of becoming with the right support.
Arriving with very few personal belongings
Learning that they deserve to have things of their own
Starting over in a new school
Finding their footing and making new friends
Learning to trust adults again
Discovering that safe adults exist
Birthdays that were previously overlooked
Celebrating and feeling truly seen
Healing from trauma with patient support
Building resilience that will last a lifetime
Wondering if they belong anywhere
Discovering what it feels like to be home
"Hope is not built through grand gestures. It is built through ordinary moments — a warm meal, a consistent bedtime, someone who shows up again and again — that become extraordinary to a child who has never experienced stability."
What We Are Building Together
We are not just building programs. We are building an atmosphere — a place where children and families experience something they may have never had before: the feeling of belonging.
Laughter at the dinner table
Shared meals that feel like family — because they are.
Homework victories
The quiet pride of a child who finally gets it — and knows someone noticed.
Birthday celebrations
For children who have never had a birthday party, this moment changes everything.
Family game nights
Ordinary evenings that teach children what safety and joy feel like.
Bedtime routines
Consistency that tells a child: tomorrow is coming, and you will be okay.
Moments of belief
When a child begins to believe in themselves again — that is why we do this.
What I've Learned
More than a decade of working with children has taught me things no textbook could. These are the truths I carry into every program, every relationship, and every decision Ohana makes.
Children do not need perfect adults.
They need safe adults. Adults who show up, stay consistent, and refuse to give up — even on the hard days.
Healing takes time.
There are no shortcuts. But with patience, consistency, and genuine care, children can and do heal.
Small acts of kindness can change lives.
A birthday cake. A new backpack. Someone who remembers their name. These things matter more than we know.
Consistency builds trust.
For a child who has been let down repeatedly, showing up again and again is the most powerful thing you can do.
Every child deserves to know they matter.
Not because of what they achieve — but simply because they exist. This belief is the foundation of everything we do.
Community changes outcomes.
No single person, agency, or program can do this alone. But when a community wraps around a child, everything becomes possible.
The Real Impact Behind Every Gift
Support is not just about dollars. It is about what those dollars make possible — and the real lives they touch.
A donated backpack
may help a child start school with confidence — feeling like they belong, not like they are behind.
A volunteer
may become a trusted mentor — the consistent adult presence a child has never had before.
A sponsor
may provide a birthday celebration a child has never experienced — a moment that says: you matter.
A community partner
may help keep a foster family from becoming overwhelmed — and keep a child in a stable home.
Our Mission
Ohana Youth & Family Solutions exists to provide hope, healing, stability, and practical support to children and families impacted by foster care, trauma, abuse, neglect, hardship, and crisis. We believe every child deserves to feel safe, loved, supported, and never forgotten.
Our Vision
A community where every child is safe, every family is supported, and no one is ever left behind. We envision a world where the child welfare system is strengthened by compassionate communities, and where every child has the opportunity to thrive.
Our Core Values
Compassion
We lead with empathy and genuine care for every child and family we serve.
Integrity
We operate with transparency, honesty, and accountability in everything we do.
Community
We believe in the power of community to heal, support, and transform lives.
Excellence
We hold ourselves to the highest standards in service, care, and impact.
Inclusion
We welcome and serve all families, regardless of background or circumstance.
Advocacy
We speak up for children and families who cannot always speak for themselves.
Our Vision for Tomorrow
We are honest about where we are: a new organization with a clear mission and a growing community of supporters. We are also honest about where we are going. These are the hopes and goals we are working toward — not guarantees, but a direction we are committed to pursuing with integrity.
Expand community partnerships
We hope to build lasting relationships with churches, businesses, schools, and neighbors throughout Central Florida who share our commitment to children and families.
Support more foster families
We want to wrap around every foster family in our community — providing encouragement, practical resources, and the assurance that they are not doing this alone.
Provide more resources for children
From school supplies to birthday celebrations to emergency needs — we want to ensure that no child in our community goes without the basics that every child deserves.
Grow volunteer opportunities
We believe that thousands of people in our community want to make a difference. We want to give them meaningful, accessible ways to do exactly that.
Strengthen local communities
We envision neighborhoods where foster families are known and supported, where children are celebrated, and where no family faces a crisis alone.
Build sustainable programs
We are committed to creating programs that serve families with excellence — not just today, but for years and generations to come.
We are building this future one relationship at a time — and every person who joins us makes it more possible.
Be Part of the Beginning
Ohana is new — and that means something rare is available right now: the opportunity to help build something from the ground up. Every donor, volunteer, church, business, and community partner who joins us in these early days is not just supporting a nonprofit. They are helping to shape what Ohana becomes.
Founding supporters will be recognized as the people who believed before it was easy to believe — the ones who saw the vision and said yes before the organization had a long track record to point to. That kind of trust is something we will never take for granted.
Founding Donors
Any gift, any size
Founding Volunteers
Give your time
Founding Partners
Churches & businesses
Founding Advocates
Share our mission
Financial Transparency
We are committed to responsible stewardship of every dollar entrusted to us. As a new organization, we are building our financial reporting practices from the ground up — with full transparency as a core commitment.
Programs & Services
Administration
Fundraising
501(c)(3) Nonprofit Organization
Ohana Youth & Family Solutions, Inc. is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit. All donations are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. As we grow, annual reports and financial statements will be made available upon request. We are committed to full transparency.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who does Ohana serve?
We serve children and families impacted by foster care, trauma, abuse, neglect, hardship, and crisis — primarily in Central Florida, Lake County, and surrounding communities.
Is Ohana a 501(c)(3) nonprofit?
Yes. Ohana Youth & Family Solutions, Inc. is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. All donations are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.
How can I request assistance?
You can reach us through our contact form or by email at [email protected]. We will connect you with the appropriate resources and support.
How are donations used?
Donations directly fund our programs including emergency assistance, children's essentials, foster family support, and community outreach. We are committed to transparency as we grow.
Can I volunteer with Ohana?
Absolutely! We welcome volunteers of all backgrounds. As a new organization, your time and energy right now has an extraordinary impact. Visit our Volunteer page to learn more.
How can my organization partner with Ohana?
We are actively building community partnerships and would love to connect. Visit our Ways to Help page or contact us directly to explore partnership opportunities.
Join the Ohana Family
We are building something meaningful — from the ground up, together. There is a place for you in this mission.