Building Brighter Futures: Why Julie and Chris Barnett Believe Every Child Deserves a Place to Call Home

For Julie and Chris Barnett, philanthropy has never been about recognition. It’s about responsibility.

Throughout their lives, the couple has built successful businesses, raised a family, and dedicated themselves to giving back to organizations that make a lasting impact. Their philosophy is simple: when you’re fortunate enough to make a difference, you have an obligation to do so.

That commitment has become the foundation of the Christopher M. Barnett Family Foundation, which supports organizations focused on housing insecurity, food insecurity, developmental disabilities, underserved children, and women’s empowerment. Rather than making one-time gifts, the Barnetts seek meaningful partnerships with nonprofits whose mission aligns with their belief that every child deserves an opportunity to thrive.

Among those partnerships, one holds a particularly special place in their hearts: SOS Children’s Villages Florida (SOS).

INVESTING IN MORE THAN A HOUSE

When the Barnetts first learned about SOS Children’s Villages Florida, they were struck by something unique.

Unlike a traditional foster care agency, SOS works to keep brothers and sisters together while providing them with the stability of a loving home and the constant care of a dedicated parent. It’s an approach centered on healing, belonging, and long-term success—one that deeply resonates with Julie and Chris.
“Every child deserves the opportunity to grow up feeling safe, loved, and supported,” says Chris.

“SOS Children’s Villages Florida doesn’t just provide housing. It creates families and gives children the stability they need to build successful futures.”

That shared vision inspired the Barnetts to make a transformational investment in the organization, culminating in the dedication of the Barnett Family Home on the SOS campus.
For them, the home represents far more than walls and a roof.

It represents birthdays celebrated together, homework completed around the kitchen table, siblings remaining connected, and children finding the consistency they need after experiencing trauma. “We wanted to create a place where children could simply be children,” Julie shares. “A place where they feel loved, encouraged, and empowered to dream.”

A FAMILY LEGACY OF GIVING

The Barnetts view philanthropy as a family value, not simply a charitable endeavor.

As parents of five daughters, they have intentionally involved their children in volunteerism and charitable giving, teaching them that success carries with it a responsibility to serve others.

Those lessons have become an integral part of the Christopher M. Barnett Family Foundation’s mission. The Foundation supports organizations that provide immediate assistance in addition to addressing the root causes of social challenges. Whether helping families experiencing food insecurity, expanding opportunities for children with developmental disabilities, supporting women in crisis, or investing in organizations like SOS Children’s Villages Florida, the main goal remains the same: creating meaningful
pathways toward brighter futures.

“We hope our daughters understand that giving isn’t something you do after you’ve achieved success,” Chris says. “Giving is part of living a successful life.”

COMPASSION THROUGH LEADERSHIP

Chris Barnett’s passion for helping others extends far beyond philanthropy into his professional life. As Founder and Chairman of ICBD, where he works with leadership teams across a portfolio of healthcare and technology companies focused on solving complex problems and improving lives, as he remains involved with ABA Centers, which he founded in 2020 after experiencing firsthand the challenges families face in accessing autism care.

Whether via healthcare leadership or philanthropic giving, Chris believes lasting change begins by investing in people.“Every child deserves someone who believes in them,” he says. “Whether that’s through quality healthcare, education, or a stable home, those investments can change the course of a life.”

A SHARED MISSION

At SOS Children’s Villages Florida, their mission is evident every day.
Children who have experienced abuse, neglect, or abandonment are surrounded by caring adults who provide consistency, encouragement, and unconditional love. Siblings remain together. Young people receive educational support, life skills, and the confidence to pursue their dreams.

For the Barnetts, supporting SOS means investing in those futures.

Their partnership reflects the belief that every child deserves more than temporary care—they deserve permanence, hope, and the opportunity to flourish.

As Julie and Chris continue growing their family’s philanthropic legacy through the Christopher M. Barnett Family Foundation, their hope is to inspire others to become involved in causes that strengthen communities and transform lives.

Because true meaningful change doesn’t happen through one individual alone. It happens when compassionate people come together with a shared purpose.

For the children growing up at SOS Children’s Villages Florida, that purpose means something priceless: a safe place to call home, a family to lean on, and a future filled with possibility.