What began as a single therapeutic wilderness camp nearly 60 years ago has become a nationwide network of programs creating opportunities and lasting change. Each year, we help more than 250,000 children, youth, and adults build brighter futures.
Eckerd Connects is a national non-profit dedicated to transforming lives and strengthening communities through workforce development, child and family services, and Job Corps education and training.
Our mission is simple yet powerful: to connect people to the education, career, and support they need to thrive. Across 20 states and the District of Columbia, our teams deliver community-based, data-driven services that meet individuals where they are—with compassion, dignity, and measurable results.
Our strength lies in how we connect people to opportunity. From helping a child find safety in a nurturing home, to guiding a young adult into a career in a high-demand industry, to stabilizing a family in crisis — we build bridges that empower potential and strengthen communities.
Mission Statement
Empowering individuals to overcome barriers, realize their potential, and build successful lives and careers.
Vision Statement
To be a national leader in empowering potential and building pathways to success. Eckerd Connects is committed to creating lasting, positive changes in the lives of individuals, families, and communities by providing access to education, career opportunities, and supportive resources.
250
k
Job seekers supported annually through One-Stop/American Job Centers
8600
Youth and adults served directly each year through workforce development programs
8700
Children and families supported annually through community-based programs
6100
Young adults each year receive transformative, hands-on career training at Job Corps
”We are not just servers, but solvers—helping young people, families, and communities break cycles and build lasting opportunity.
MICHAEL D. SMITHCEO, Eckerd Connects
What We Do
Our Strength Lies in How
We Connect Services.
At Eckerd Connects, our strength lies in how we connect services across three major areas of impact: Workforce Development, Job Corps, and Children & Family Services. Together, these interconnected services address more than just the skills gap—they tackle the opportunity gap. By removing barriers and aligning support across every stage of life, we create pathways that change individual lives and uplift entire communities .
Workforce Development
As one of the nation’s largest non-profit providers of Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) programs, Eckerd Connects creates career pathways to opportunities. We deliver training, credentials, career coaching, and wraparound support—such as transportation assistance, mental health referrals, and paid work experiences—helping people of all ages succeed in the workplace and earn family-sustaining wages. Each year, more than 250,000 job seekers and 8,600 youth and adults connect to meaningful employment through our workforce programs nationwide.
LEARN MORE
Job Corps
For youth ages 16–24, we integrate both education and career training in a residential setting. As the only national non-profit operating Job Corps campuses, we combine hands-on training in high-demand industries with housing, meals, counseling, and life skills—helping students gain independence and build stable, rewarding careers. Six of the 11 Job Corps campuses Eckerd operates or co-operates rank among the top 32 in the nation. Each year, more than 6,100 young adults gain top-notch skills and real-world experience to enter today’s workforce.
LEARN MORE
Children & Family Services
Building on our legacy of therapeutic care, we support children, youth, and families navigating foster care, juvenile justice involvement, early childhood and parental development, substance abuse prevention and intervention, and housing instability. Our community-based approach promotes healing, strengthens families, and stabilizes households through compassion, partnership, evidence-based services, and trauma-informed care. Annually, more than 8,700 children and families across Florida, North Carolina, Kansas, and Louisiana receive life-changing support through our community-based programs.
LEARN MORE
