Gulf Coast Kid’s House will host a groundbreaking ceremony for its Healing Garden on Thursday, January 8, 2026, at 4:15 p.m. at 3401 N. 12th Avenue in Pensacola.
The Healing Garden will be a 1,500-square-foot outdoor therapeutic space designed to provide grounding, respite, and recovery for children who have experienced abuse.
“We are so excited to break ground on the Healing Garden,” said Stacey Kostevicki. “So many organizations and individuals are responsible for bringing this vision to life—thank you to IMPACT 100, Leadership Pensacola, Green Procedures, and Nancy Bissinger, to name a few. This garden will provide healing for child victims of abuse for years to come.”
The Healing Garden will feature sensory plants and pathways, a calming water feature, musical wall, and pavilion for year-round use. This space will provide a sanctuary for the nearly 4,000 children helped by Gulf Coast Kid’s House each year, as well as the staff who support them.
The project is made possible through an IMPACT 100 Pensacola Bay Area grant and the Leadership Pensacola Class of 2026, whose combined funding and leadership support are bringing this vision to life.
Community partners, stakeholders, and members of the media are invited to attend the groundbreaking ceremony and celebrate this important milestone in expanding trauma- informed care in Escambia County.
Gulf Coast Kid’s House, Inc. an independent 501©(3) not-for-profit organization that receives 75% of its support from the community. In 2024-2025, Gulf Coast Kid’s House provided services to over 4,000 abused and neglected children. The trained professionals under one roof investigate, treat, and prosecute cases of child sexual and physical abuse, and severe neglect; education in child abuse prevention is also provided.
Gulf Coast Kid’s House is a private, not-for-profit children’s advocacy center serving child victims of abuse in Escambia County and Pensacola, Florida. The organization’s mission is to end child abuse and heal families through collaborative intervention, family support, and prevention education. Through its child-friendly facility, Gulf Coast Kid’s House coordinates the response of multiple agencies to reduce trauma for children while improving case outcomes. For more information, visit www.gulfcoastkidshouse.org.
