Anchorage Children’s Home’s mission is to be an Anchor for today’s children…strengthening tomorrow’s families.

Anchorage Children’s Home is a non-profit, Christian organization serving, protecting and strengthening children, families and community. We aspire to develop healthy children and families within the Christian values of hope, caring, respect, responsibility, equality, integrity, leadership, humility, and self-discipline.

In 1983, McElvey Home, the vision of a local haven for hard to place teens who had suffered abuse or severe neglect, became a reality as the result of the tireless and compassionate efforts of a small group of concerned citizens. Anchorage was born to meet a critical need of those who no one else would serve. This culture of compassion and community partnership continues in Anchorage’s services today. In 1985, with the addition of Hidle House Anchorage’s vision expanded to include homeless youth who run away, were thrown away, or at-risk due to their family life.

In 2005, in response to a community critical need for foster homes, Anchorage began serving infants and pre-school aged children who had suffered abuse or severe neglect through Catherin’s Shelter.
Anchorage continues to provide a continuum of care for at-risk and abused and neglected children, youth and their families, 24 hours a day, 7 days through screening, assessment, case management and counseling, basic shelter, and non-residential aftercare services. From its humble beginning with a $90,000 dollar budget in 1983 to its present success as a nationally accredited service provider, we maintain our culture of caring that makes the difference in the lives of children, youth and their families. We will continue to pursue our vision through community partnership and proven best practices that have served our children and youth well for many years.

See Our Current Annual Report

Anchorage Children’s Home, a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization, is governed by a voluntary Board of Directors that is an essential component of the ability to effectively manage programs since its inception in 1983. We ensure that our Board membership is reflective of the gender, racial and cultural composition of the community we serve; is knowledgeable of the needs of youth who have multiple problems; act as advocates for youth services; and are in positions of authority and influence within the community. They represent a reasonable cross-section of our community and include former service recipients. In bi-monthly, meetings the Board of Directors reviews administrative, financial and programmatic progress toward agency goals and objectives.

Chief John Daly, Chair
Panama City Beach Fire Department

Rodney Tilley, Vice-Chair
States Attorney’s Office – 14th Circuit

Jim Gardner, Treasurer
Counts Real Estate

Susan Clark, Secretary
Bay Bank & Trust

John Johnson, Immediate Past Chair
CPA – Segers, Sowell, Stewart and Johnson, PA

Eric Baker, At-large Executive Committee Member
DJ Enterprises, Inc.

Carolyn Battle, At-large Executive Committee Member
Battle Funeral Home

Monica Banton
Chief of Operations, Dr. Keith Banton

Jeremy Bennett
Vision Bank

Brenda Brock
Coastal Color Center

Mary Marie Clemo
Homemaker

Jackie Connor
Retired

Rhonda Lee
States Attorney’s Office – 14th Circuit (Jackson County)

Joe Manning
A. G. Edwards

Rhonda Mayo
Panama City Living Magazine

Al McCambry
Knology – General Manager

Karen Tucker
Bay District Schools

Chief John Van Etten
Panama City Police Department

Cathy Williams
Homemaker

Nicole Eisenbrown, MD
Panama City Urology Center

Chief John Van Etten
Panama City Police Department


See our most recent IRS 990

Anchorage is a member of child, youth and family organizations such as the Florida Network of Youth and Families, Southeastern Network of Youth and Families, Florida Coalition for Children.

Anchorage is also nationally accredited through the Council on Accreditation.

Board Members and staff participate in varied activities such as serving on Boards, committees and workgroups in the local community and statewide. Examples include the Hunger and Homeless Coalition of Bay County, Bay Area Partnership for Affordable Housing, Bay County Chamber of Commerce, Bay and Jackson County Juvenile Justice Council, the CASE Coalition, the Calhoun and Bay County Councils for Children, Bay County Mental Health Association.

2121 Lisenby Avenue
Panama City, Florida 32405
(850) 763-7102

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