Babysitters with BIG hearts hosting toy drive for foster kids

Synthia Fairman and Gabriella Rosello are the powerhouse team behind the statewide babysitting service, Doublemint Sitting. The women met while working at a residential group foster home and quickly became close friends.

As they launched their babysitting business, they knew they had to keep one thing central to all they do. Supporting kids in our community, especially foster children who hold a special place in their hearts.

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This is why they are hosting their 3rd annual toy drive to provide gifts and necessities for kids in our community. They’ll share more about how your family can help, but we also wanted to get to know the women to learn more about this passion project.

What inspired you both to create Doublemint Sitting?

Fairman: While working together at a group foster home in 2013, we recognized a childcare facelift in the Tampa area.

We started small with less than 20 sitters in 2016, through the years we have grown to 300 sitters in 8 cities across the state of Florida.

As a team, we provide basic life skills, mentoring, social enrichments, transportation assistance, homework help. Unlike other childcare agencies, we do not have any hidden fees or membership fees to use our services.

We offer a range of services from date night sitting to overnights to pet sitting services. We are sure to find the perfect fit for all your family’s needs.

How does the babysitting service work?

Fairman: Getting started is easy. Simply submit a Getting Started form on our website, we will follow-up with a more detailed family packet to learn more I about your family and helps us pair you with the perfect sitter.

Once completed form is received, text in your request and from there, we send the request out to our team to see who is available.

When we hear back from the team, we will send you profiles of the available sitters for your requested days/times and allow you the opportunity to choose the best fit.

We then pair you with the sitter and you are all set to enjoy your time away.

You both are committed to helping foster children in our community–tell us why this is so important to you all.

Rosello: A little backstory on why this is so important to us! We both have a very special place for foster children.

Synthia was in foster care as a child and thankfully adopted as a child to a great family.

We met working at a residential group foster home in 2013, and it was at that moment Doublemint Sitting was established.

We made a promise to always keep our community at the forefront of all we do. Giving back to children and families in foster care, is one way we can ensure these children are not left out or forgotten.

You are hosting your 3rd Annual Toy Drive this year for foster children. Let’s talk about what inspired the toy drive and how it has grown over the years.

Fairman: We are so happy to be able to host the 3rd Annual Toy Drive hosted by Doublemint Sitting. Donors like you are the reason we were able to help 250 children in foster care last year, this year we are hoping to help 350 children!

We are so excited that you are joining us in making sure children in care have a Christmas they won’t forget.

How can families help with the toy drive?

Here’s how you can get involved:

Reach out to Doublemint Sitting to be paired with a child’s wish list. You can email your request to info@doublemintsitting.com.

Gifts may be dropped off at Camp Doublemint at Westshore Mall
Location: 330 Westshore Plaza Tampa, Fl 33609
Times: Monday-Friday from 8:45AM-12:30PM­­­­ each day

*We would like to have all gifts delivered by 12/15/2021.

Other items in need: Hygiene products (male & female), gift cards, stocking stuffers, socks.

Amazon orders: If you would like to send gifts via Amazon, please have them delivered to:
4014 N Munro Street Tampa, Fl 33603

Please do not wrap the presents. If you would like to support in the form of gift cards, please place the gift card in an envelope. We appreciate everything you guys are doing for our community and look forward to seeing our community come together.

If you have any additional questions, please feel free to email info@doublemintsitting.com or text Synthia (239)-839-3849. Just a reminder that we would like to have all gifts delivered by 12/15/2021.

Are there ways families can help foster children year-round?

Become a Guardian ad Litem, teach your children to give their old toys to those who may not have any toys and encourage your children to do drives with the necessities such as toiletry items.

Throughout the year group foster homes, such as Joshua House, accept donations of all kinds at their donations center. Other opportunities involve connecting with Janet Rinaldi at West Florida Foster Care Services to get involved throughout the year.

What are some things about foster care that people may not realize and how can we do more to provide safe homes for these children?

Some things about foster care that people may not realize and how we can do more to provide safe homes for these children is looking at the numbers on how many children come into care in our community. Educating our community what foster care truly is, not judging a child because they are in foster care, it is not their fault they are in foster care. They need support, love, and guidance.

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