SOS Florida 2014 Winter Newsletter

Village VoiceWinter 2014 Newsletter

A Holiday, A Life of Comfort and Hope Despite the lack of snow in South Florida, every where we go we are reminded that this is the season of joy and hope. Family. Friends. Celebration. Reflection. It’s the time of year the Village hears most from our friends. Can I visit? Can I give a gift to a child? How can I make a difference right now?

For the boys and girls growing up at SOS, it’s not always the toys and the clothes that impart the most happiness. Though they do love their presents, sometimes it’s the idea of the holiday and the special moments we celebrate that have the most impact on a foster child.

“Santa’s coming,” five-year-old Phillip proclaimed to his staff as we started making our holiday lists. “I hope I don’t get coal.”

His fears weren’t a light-hearted jest from a story. They were real. Having previously been homeless, he didn’t really get presents from Santa before. And, having never had boundaries before he came to SOS, good behavior was something this little guy worked really hard at.

He’s not getting coal by the way. All his wishes were granted by friends of SOS and he’s enjoying a memorable family Christmas at the Village.

For 14-year-old Anna, this holiday was also something special, though for a different reason. One of the younger children in a family that was also homeless, she was often overshadowed by her older siblings and left with hand-me-downs and used items for the holidays. The bright smile on her face as she could make a wish list of new things for the holiday and all the activities she would share with her SOS family reflected the comfort she found just in being at the Village.

It’s not just the big gifts and fun holiday parties that count, it’s the little comforts of having a home and a family that cares. The gifts you give at the holidays are great and magical moments, that our kids will remember forever. And it’s the gifts you give all year long that make a lifelong impact, giving them a warm, safe home; a family to support and guide them; thousands of happy moments of childhood; the skills to take responsibility for themselves and contribute to their communities; and the chance to build a successful future.

On behalf of Phillip and Anna and all of our boys and girls, thank you for granting our kids a life of comfort and hope at SOS Florida.

954-420-5030 • www.sosflorida.com

Preparing for Life After Foster Care Is A PriorityWhen our first children began “aging out” of foster care more than a decade ago, we recognized that those young adults were family and, no matter, how well we prepared them, these 18-year-olds still weren’t quite ready to build a new life on their own.

Rising to the challenge, SOS Florida became one of the first foster care providers in South Florida to provide an aftercare or TIL (Transition to Independent Living) program funded solely by SOS donors and supporters.

The SOS Next Steps program helps teens make a plan before they turn 18 and assists more than 70 SOS alumni in successfully navigating life.

Today, 100% of the young adults aging out at SOS Florida receive their high school diploma and 100% go on to further education. You’ll find our alumni in the military, in law enforcement, teaching in schools, working in nonprofits, managing their own businesses and raising their families.

They didn’t just beat the odds, they decimated them and continue to prove everyday that foster kids are capable of overcoming their traumatic and chaotic pasts.

The state of Florida recognized those very same issues foster children face when turning 18. In January 2014, youth were given the choice to stay in foster care until age 21 and the new “MY Future, MY Choice” program gave kids new living options and a support network to assist them transition to adulthood.

As the array of state and local services continues to grow, so too does the support, care and assistance SOS Florida provides for our children.

Next Steps services focuses on five core needs that work together to build a path to success: Case Management to create and oversee goals and needs, Counseling, Career Planning, Housing and Financial Assistance in crisis and to assist in meeting goals when needed.

STEPSNext

SUPPORT, TEACH,

EMPOWER, PREPARE

FOR SUCCESS

Anyone who sees Chante Adams today would be amazed by the poise and maturity she exudes in everything she does. It’s not just because she grew up in the foster care system and, like many other foster kids, struggled to find home, family and herself. It’s because of how quickly she’s turned her life around and how serious she’s become about her future.

Confidence in herself socially was never the issue for this outgoing young woman. She simply could not find the confidence to succeed educationally. Despite settling into a stable foster home at SOS and the support from the staff and services, like tutoring, to help, she still bounced from school to school. She never really found her academic stride and chose instead not to take her studies seriously.

That outlook began to change two years ago when she left her foster home at SOS Children’s Villages after her 18th birthday. Reality hit her hard when she was finally on her own and thoughts of the future weighed on her. No education meant little options professionally and a disappointing future ahead.

But instead of crumbling, Chante rallied. Thanks to the SOS Next Steps program, she began to set new goals and had the support of her SOS family and resources to accomplish them. One success led to another and her future had positive momentum.

Chante earned her high school diploma this past spring and is attending Sheridan Technical Center to obtain a cosmetology certification. Her chosen profession is a natural fit since she has been styling and braiding hair since she was a pre-teen, often doing hair for the other teens at the Village. Chante aspires to gain her certification and eventually open her very own salon.

Empowering Chante’s Education

Pictured Above:Chante at SOS Graduation last spring

Give Hope to an SOS Child This Year

Name(s) ______________________________________________________

Address ______________________________________________________

City/Zip _______________________________________________________

Phone ______________________ E-mail ___________________________

Checks may be made payable to: SOS Children’s Villages - FloridaPlease charge my VISA MC Amex DiscoverCard # _____________________________ CCV ________ Exp _________Signature_____________________________________________________

My Gift

I WANT TO GIVEHOPE THIS YEAR!

□ $250 □ $150 □ $75 □ $50

□ $25 □ $10 □ $ ______

□ Make my gift a monthly donation

□ Make my gift a quarterly donation

YES!

You can start the year full of hope by making a pledge to an SOS foster child. Your contribution can provide so much at the Village.

With your help, together we can give a child a second chance at childhood. While most children dream of a new bike, Disney World or birthday parties, children entering foster care dream of safety, shelter, a nuturing family, a hot meal and clothes to wear.

What better gift can you give a child than the opportunity to live in a safe, stable home where they can be a child? At the Village, they can dream it all.

Each year more than 30 new children come to live at SOS. The next one doesn’t know it yet, but you are about to change their life forever.

Making a Gift Today will give a child....Hope for the comforts of a safe home

Hope for a good education

Hope for those special moments of childhood

Hope to move past the pain, abuse and neglect they’ve already experienced

Hope for the chance to dream of a better life...and make that dream come true

Hope for a caring SOS family

Call 954-420-5030 to make a donation by phone or visit www.sosflorida.com to make a donation online.

Welcome New Chairman’s Circle Members

New Gold MembersADTArmstrong Family

FoundationDr. Susan Beil and

Jim ReynoldsBilli Marcus FoundationKathryn E and Robert S

Smith Family Fund of the Community Foundation of Broward

Siobhan and Phil MarberRubin Obstgarten

Family FoundationSamuel C. Cantor

Charitable TrustKristina and Richard Stein

New Platinum MembersHSBC BankSOS Children’s Villages -

USAEdith and Martin Stein

New Sapphire MembersAsofsky Family Foundation

New Emerald MembersCaring Friends of the

Children Fund

Members of the SOS Chairman’s Circle are friends who have made a long-term commitment to affect the lives of our foster children for the better. They have each made a significant investment in our boys and girls of $10,000 or more over the years.

January 2014 marked this elite circle’s inaugural year and we are proud to welcome our newest members to the Circle and congratulate those whose giving has moved them to the next Circle level.

Visit us online at www.sosflorida.com to see a complete list of our Chairman’s Circle members or find out more about how you can set a goal to become a member.

2014 Spirit of Home Honorees - Top Row: Millie Correa, Meg Harrison, Jim Lyons, Chris Riggs, Keith DuVernay, Kenrick Shirley, Jamie LaPaglia, Marcy Falcone; Bottom Row: Kathleen Stone, Barbara Parks, Cindi Krost, Dr. Erica Pooler, Candy Raphan, Kristina Joseph, Debbie Levine

Steps for SOS Sponsor and Top Fundraising Team, Wheelabrator Technologies - Back row: Dwight McIntosh, Liam Kendrigan, Sally Alvarez (holding Piper Alvarez-dog), Booz Francis, James Muniz, Damon Barnes, Cyrene Powell; Front row: Martin Bitner, Michael Bitner (on his shoulders), Jim Epsilantis, Kyle Pinon, Connor Kendrigan, Peter Kendrigan, Seana Kendrigan, Geeta Bhim-Rangoo, Shastri Singh; On Grass in front: (Murphy Kendrigan-dog), Courtney Kendrigan, Lissette Velazquez, Carlos Velazquez, Satisha Singh

Read about our Spirit of Home Awards Luncheon and Steps for SOS 5K Run/Walk on page 5 ►

Coming Together for Our Kids

The spirit of home, family and happy childhood we give begins with the compassion and generosity of friends like you.

Make a resolution in 2015 to be a greater part of the SOS Spirit of Home or to take Steps for SOS. Volunteer to help, become a sponsor or make a donation. Contact Danielle Naglieri at 954-420-5030 x 1115 or [email protected] to discover how you can be a part of our family events this year.

Inspiring the Spirit of Home

Taking Steps for Our Kids

On Saturday morning, November 8, 2014, nearly 400 friends and supporters took Steps to raise funds and awareness for our kids at the 2nd Annual Steps for SOS 5K Run/Walk in Tradewinds Park, Coconut Creek. Our amazing teams worked hard and raised more than $38,000 to help provide home, family and happiness the boys and girls growing up at SOS.

Congratulations to our winners of the day...Top Overall Males: Ed Lawton, David Blanchard, Fernando Montenegro. Top Overall Females: Annie Brennan-Smith, Alaina Ruh, Mandy Wilmsmeyer. Top Overall Fastest Teams: Crunch Fitness Parkland, Cougars:Restore The Roar, Team Hope. Top Overall Fundraising Teams: Wheelabrator Walkers, Rockin Robin, Parkland Peeps, Team hoffy, Rotary Club of Boca Raton. Top Overall Fundraising Individuals: Jim Epsilantis, Sharon Dutkiewicz, Robin Cohen, Cyrene Powell and Ashley Ramjas.

Special thanks to our 2014 Steps for SOS Sponsors: Wheelabrator Technologies, The GEO Group, City of Coconut Creek, Publix, Brinkley Morgan, Garden of Life, Wizard Creations, AdGraphics, Dade Paper, MimsFit, Calvin Giordano & Associates, Seawood Builders, CopySource, Denny’s Childrenswear, Crunch Fitness, Evolution Fitness, Fit2Run, Whole Foods, Florida Panthers, Miami Marlins, Orange Bowl Committee, WQAM and La Croix.

SOS Children’s Vil lage proves everyday it takes a village to raise the 75 very special foster children in their care. Village friends gathered at

Boca West Country Club this past September to celebrate the indelible and unique “Spirit of Home” their support provides.

Recognized at the luncheon this year were Outstanding Individuals Marcy & Art Falcone, Outstanding Community Partner Broadspire Services, Outstanding Volunteer Cindi Krost and Outstanding Staff Kenrick Shirley.

Each honoree’s dedication and efforts helped build our Village and the many children’s services and programs it provides today.

Thank you to this year’s Spirit of Home Sponsors: Club Managers Association of America, Seminole Region Charity Golf Tournament, ADT, The Falcone Family, Gregory’s Fine Jewelry, Broadspire Services, Berger Singerman, Toshiba Business Solutions, Bateman, Gordon, Sands - Keith Henry, Bluegreen Vacations, Jarden Consumer Solutions, Saks Fifth Avenue, The Colston Family Foundation, The Krost Family, Wells Fargo, Boca West Country Club, Pops Corn, W Fort Lauderdale, Big Time Restaurant Group, Buddha Sky Bar, Colony Hotel & Cabana Club, Denny’s Childrenswear, Fort Lauderdale Strikers, Isle Casino, Jill & Stu Siegel, Marriott Coral Springs, Miami Marlins, Oceans 234, The Cheesecake Factory, Wines for Humanity and Wright by the Sea.

SAVE THE DATE! 2015 Spirit of Home Awards Luncheon - September 18, 2015

SAVE THE DATE! 2015 Steps for SOS 5KRun/Walk - November 7, 2015

4

5K Run / Walk for Foster Kids

AN EVENING ON THE

SERENGETISAVE THE DATE

UpdateProjectRenovatePardon our Dust. Renovations are beginning as we build a bigger and better Village. Please keep the following in mind....

• When visiting the Village this spring, always look for the signs directing you where to find the correct office location. The Weicholz Family Administrative Building is temporarily closing in late January.

• If you have an appointment with administrative staff, don’t hesistate to ask where their office is located to be sure you travel to the correct location.

• Kindly call ahead before you deliver donated items to the Village. We are tighter on space than ever so there is a limit to what we can accept.