Pembroke Pines, FL – On March 21, 2025, Memorial Healthcare System hosted its Fourth Annual Memorial Healthcare Career Day Expo at Children’s Harbor in Pembroke Pines. This empowering event aimed to inspire teens and youth in foster care to explore various career paths and start creating personalized plans for their futures. With the involvement of 19 local industry professionals across Broward County, Children’s Harbor teens asked questions, gained invaluable insights and hands-on opportunities, motivating them to pursue their interests and reach their highest potential.
Children's Harbor teen exploring the career path of baking at FIU’s Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management booth
The success of the Memorial Healthcare Career Day Expo aligns closely with the values and mission of Children’s Harbor. Children’s Harbor is a nationally accredited nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening families in our community by providing safe shelter and support to teens in foster care, helping them to grow into healthy, educated, and productive adults. Its main campus in Pembroke Pines offers a supportive family environment for teenagers and their younger siblings. In addition to these services, Children’s Harbor also offers specialized programs to support young mothers, helping them navigate the challenges of parenthood while continuing to pursue their personal and educational goals.
The organization’s family support services program also works to prevent children from entering foster care by offering free in-home counseling and support to families in need. Supported by year-round recruitment efforts, this career fair helped Children’s Harbor’s kids discover their passions and purpose.
Erik Chafin, Chief Development Officer, Children’s Harbor; Tiffani Dhooge, President and CEO of Children’s Harbor; Addley Dorfeuil, Memorial Healthcare
“The kids had a blast exploring different careers! Thank you to Memorial Healthcare System for their ongoing support at Children's Harbor and for making this career fair possible. It’s events like these that play an integral part in Children’s Harbor’s core mission,” said Tiffani Dhooge, President and CEO of Children's Harbor. “We are committed to offering resources that foster healing, support, and hope for our teens and families. We're incredibly thankful for all of the businesses that participated and showed our kids the different opportunities that await.”
Julie Schade, Events, Children’s Harbor; Eva Maloney, Children’s Harbor; Marisa Abreu, Children’s Harbor; Ana Gall, COO, Children’s Harbor
In the following weeks, Children’s Harbor will coordinate a "Take Our Child to Work Day" with their chosen industry to further deepen their understanding of the fields of interest. This initiative will allow the teens to shadow professionals, observe daily operations, and engage in hands-on activities within their chosen fields. By offering a firsthand glimpse into the work environment, this experience will help deepen their understanding of various paths, build connections, and encourage them to take steps toward potential careers.
Leyla Iturralde, Kayla Gardner, Felicia Pittman, Imonie Alexander, Sanna-Shea Sterling
Memorial Healthcare System is a public, nonprofit hospital system that provides healthcare services to South Florida residents. To learn more about Memorial Healthcare System, please visit https://www.mhs.net/.
To learn more about Children's Harbor and the difference we are making in the lives of children affected by trauma and abuse, please visit childrensharbor.org.
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About Children’s Harbor
Established in 1996, Children’s Harbor is a nationally accredited child welfare organization with a mission to help strengthen families who are struggling in our community, while providing safe shelter and support to teens in foster care so that they may grow into healthy, educated, and productive adults.
With the belief that children should feel safe, that family is worth fighting for, and that cycles can be broken, Children’s Harbor provides a harbor of hope and healing for children who have been impacted by the trauma of child abuse. The main campus in Pembroke Pines provides a supportive family environment for teenagers in foster care and their younger siblings. The family support services program prevents kids from coming into foster care by providing free in-home counseling and support to families who are struggling in the community. Additionally, Brown’s Harbor is a supportive housing community dedicated to serving young adults, aged 18-23, who have aged out of the foster care system. These young adults are provided with affordable housing and the wrap-around support and independent living programs necessary to help them overcome their trauma and navigate through the early stages of adulthood.
To learn more about Children's Harbor and the difference we are making in the lives of children affected by trauma and abuse, please visit childrensharbor.org.
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