A Kid’s Place of Tampa Bay, a nonprofit that provides residential foster care, broke ground on The MacKinnon Family Activity Center, a new 12,000-square-foot facility, in Brandon.
The center is part of the nonprofit’s $8 million “Building a Brighter Future” capital campaign, launched in August, to expand services for foster children in Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco counties.
The activity center will include space for therapy, family visitation, vocational education and a dedicated computer lab. It will also feature an outdoor basketball court, courtyard, swimming pool and indoor areas for group celebrations. The center will support the nonprofit’s “Stepping Stones” program, which teaches independent living skills to children ages 13 and up.
The project is named for the family of the late Dottie Berger MacKinnon, founder of A Kid’s Place. Construction Services Inc. of Tampa, led by former board member Fred Lay, is donating general contracting services. AiC Architecture and Hendra and Associates are also contributing to the project.
Founded in 2009, A Kid’s Place has served more than 1,700 children and 753 families. The average stay is 578 days, with some children staying for several years, according to a statement.
