Graci McGillicuddy

Co-Founder / Chair at All-Star Children’s Foundation

“We are transforming the foster care system through innovation, science, and compassion,” says Graci McGillicuddy, the heart, soul, and co-founder of All Star Children’s Foundation, a pediatric mental health treatment and research center focused on trauma-informed care. 

Graci’s mission to stop the cycle of child abuse began 40 years ago, after reading about the death of Shannon Nicole, a 20-month-old baby who was brutally abused and killed by her parents. This marked a significant turning point in Graci’s life, guided by the belief that “every child deserves to be safe and loved.” Graci’s passionate advocacy and leadership in addressing child abuse culminated in the creation of The All Star Children’s Foundation a campus built on love—a brilliant beacon of hope and healing for the children and families it serves.

Every detail of All Star’s beautiful five-acre campus is trauma-informed, with a clinical treatment and research center, six foster homes, a clubhouse, playgrounds, a tricycle trail, and gardens. Graci says her goal is to ensure that all children who come to All Star feel “honored, revered and cherished” in a safe place where they can heal, dream, and thrive.

The All Star Children’s Center’s focus on healing childhood trauma using evidence-based interventions, backed by advanced neuroscience, has had a profound and enduring impact. All Star’s compassionate and mission-driven staff are directly improving the lives of the children they serve and creating a template for improving foster care policy statewide.

At 82 years old, decades of advocacy have earned Graci being inducted into the Florida Women’s Hall of Fame, yet her vision continues to grow. “I want All Star to extend way beyond my lifetime,” she says. “This is just the beginning. There is still so much to do to support and create brighter futures for children in foster care.”

Text by Kaileia Suvannamaccha | Photo by Nancy Guth

3300 17th St., Sarasota, FL 34235
941-350-0280
graci@allstarchildren.org
allstarchildren.org