Ballet Palm Beach gives away 600 tickets for this weekend's performance of 'The Nutcracker'
Ballet Palm Beach is donating more than 600 tickets to this weekend's performance of "The Nutcracker" at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts.
The ballet company is reaching out to nonprofit organizations and programs, which will then distribute the tickets to families in Palm Beach County. The groups include: Community Partners, El Sol, For the Children Inc., Habitat for Humanity of Palm Beach County, Little Smiles, Milagro Center, Pandora’s Kids, Place of Hope, Speak Up for Kids of Palm Beach County Inc., The Lord's Place, Vita Nova Inc., Families First of Palm Beach County, Friends of Foster Children, and the West Palm Beach Parks & Recreation Department.
"The Nutcracker" is a perfect first ballet for young children to experience, according to Colleen Smith, the executive and artistic director of Ballet Palm Beach. Smith said that becomes clear before the dancing even begins.
"The music is so recognizable — all children have heard this music, and already, they are lit up,” she said. When the curtain finally opens and the spectacular set is revealed, the children are in awe, ready to be transported into the Christmas Eve story of Marie and her nutcracker.
Smith describes the experience in the theater as a give and take between the performers and the audience, and it is one all children and families should experience. “If it is done well, it is magical.”
Beth Zigler, volunteer recruiter with Palm Beach County Guardian ad Litem Program, explains that the 94 tickets they got are for the children as well as the volunteers, foster parents, and relative or non-relative caregivers who will accompany them.
“Our children have already been through a traumatic experience, so this is an amazing experience they can share,” said Zigler. “These children have never been to a show — or their family members have never had an experience like this. We are grateful for the overwhelming generosity during this time of giving.”
Children in the Guardian ad Litem program have been removed from their homes because of abuse, abandonment or neglect, and their parents are working toward reunification. With a Guardian ad Litem volunteer advocating for their best interest, a child is half as likely to languish in the foster care and child welfare system and more likely to find a safe, permanent home.
Zigler understands the significance that one special experience can have in a child's life.
“Exposing children to art gives them a whole new world — something they may never have known about.”
Amy Mauser, chief development officer of Habitat for Humanity of Palm Beach County, is anticipating 150 tickets will be distributed to Habitat for Humanity homeowner families.
“When we build a home with a family, we welcome them into the Habitat family for as long as they own their home,” Mauser said. “This is an excellent way for us to remind them of that and for us to continue celebrating the holiday season with these families, many of whom we’ve known for a very long time.”
For many families, one of the challenges they have is a lack of exposure to the world beyond their own poverty, Mauser said. Attending a performance, such as this, is a way to increase their exposure to art and culture, she said, adding “It’s wonderful to play a part in that and expand the reach of the cultural partners in our community.”
Ballet Palm Beach has offered free performances for Palm Beach County's school children throughout their many seasons. But Smith points out that attending a performance with family is different as it becomes a memory to cherish for years to come.
“We are incredibly proud to make it possible for children and families who would otherwise be unable to afford it, to attend this magical holiday tradition,” says Smith. “We don’t deserve to be in the community if we aren’t serving the community.”
The Nutcracker will be performed on Saturday and Sunday. For tickets, visit www.balletpalmbeach.org or call the Kravis Center box office at 561-832-7469 or 800-572-8471. New health and safety requirements can be found on www.kravis.org.
Group aims to donate more than 1,000 gifts to foster, homeless children in Palm Beach County
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — The holidays can be a tough time for homeless kids and foster children, especially those who were recently separated from their parents.
At La Meseria Restaurant in Palm Beach Gardens, a dinner raised about $75,000 for the group Speak Up for Kids, a part of Palm Beach County's guardian ad litem program.
Donors at the event also brought enough toys to fill a small truck for these kids.
"It helps get through, and helps us bring a little joy into their Christmas life," said event co-organizer Robert Donohoo. "This is a big thing for them."
The group hopes to make sure 1,100 children in Palm Beach County have toys to play with this holiday season.
Guardian ad Litem volunteers needed for abandoned, abused and neglected children
By: Arthur Mondale
Posted at 4:47 PM, Sep 23, 2021 and last updated 3:20 PM, Sep 23, 2021
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — There are more than 1,200 abused, abandoned and neglected children in Palm Beach County’s Guardian ad Litem program. And within the program, there are over 500 court-appointed volunteers who serve as their advocates both in and out of the courtroom. This also includes suicide prevention. And in recognition of Suicide Awareness Month, there’s a need for more powerful voices for children.
Guardian ad Litem program staff advocate Pamela Brooks is headed to the 15th Judicial Circuit Juvenile Court.
“Representation matters,” Brooks said.
She has two hearings on the docket, but there’s also a team of volunteers working behind the scenes.
“What they do is help us with some of the leg work,” Brooks said.
It’s a court-appointed position her boss, Guardian ad Litem circuit director, and attorney Michelle Canaday takes personally. Canaday too was raised in foster care.
”They go out and meet with the child, and they meet with the family and the school and the therapists and learn what would be best for that child and come in and advocate for that in court,” Canaday said. “I wanted to make a difference for kids growing up in the system.”
And Canaday says the advocacy saves lives and families.
”They’re either advocating for reunification with the parents, or we advocate for adoption or maybe living with a relative,” Canaday said.
“What does the child really want,” added Brooks.
The program estimates children in foster care are two-and-a-half times more likely to consider suicide than other youth and four times more likely to try it which is why volunteers can work with children for years.
”Read their history. Take the time to really read the file and find out who this person is — this person is just not a case, this child is a person with a lot of depth to them and so we need to get to the heart of what’s going on,” Brooks said.
And there’s also a need for more Black male volunteers. 45-percent of children within Palm Beach County’s program are Black.
“We need more Black males. Our Black males are suffering,” Brooks said. "We need men to focus on these young male lives and let them know how they made it. Be honest and transparent and help them break out of the system."
”Where does that number come from? Why do we have that number,” Canaday added. “We need to focus on how to keep kids with their parents in their home and looking at our own racial bias to do it. We need to address it.”
If you’d like to be a voice for children in court you must be 21 or over, take a background check, attend 30 hours of training and commit to at least 10 hours a month representing children. To learn more, click here.
Owls Speak Up For Kids is on a mission to aid foster children and teens
This university chapter works to advocate on behalf of foster children through donations, toy drives, and more.
Darlene Antoine, Features Editor
August 18, 2021
On a mission to be a voice for the voiceless, one club has taken a stand to assist an unheard community.
Owls Speak Up for Kids is a college chapter extension of Students Speak Up For Kids of Palm Beach. The organization was established in 2020 and maintains a core initiative of advocating for every child and teen in the foster care system of Palm Beach County.
President Sarah Meyer Bertheau said that her work in the club is significant due to its impact on the lives of foster children.
“This organization has helped raise awareness and advocate for those children within our Palm Beach County community, which is home to over 1,500 foster children,” Bertheau said. “My perspective of life has completely changed by observing how small actions performed by each individual in a group of college students can have a lasting impact on many children. This opportunity has been immensely fulfilling and has given me a sense of purpose beyond simply focusing on myself.”
Vice President Zavala explained that the club works alongside other organizations to maximize its efforts to aid foster children.
“Our chapter works side by side with Students Speak Up for Kids of Palm Beach County. Their parent organization is Speak Up for Kids of PBC, which works with the Guardian ad Litem Program and Foster Palm Beach. We aim to support each other through projects, donations, and educating ourselves about the foster care system,” Zavala said.
Despite the pandemic, the club remains committed to its advocacy work as members were able to participate in both virtual and in-person activities. From in-person, socially distanced card making for foster children to virtual meet-ups to write letters to Guardian ad Litem (GaL) volunteers, the club members participate in activities to showcase their passion for helping those in need.
“Guardian ad Litem is a volunteer who speaks on behalf of a foster care child’s best interest in court hearings and other legal decisions,” Treasurer MaryAnn Singer said. She explained that joining the club has made a profound impact on her life and the lives of others she has connected with along the way.
“As a member of this chapter, my most memorable experience is when a fellow officer and myself personally delivered donuts and a thank you card to the GaL office. This small gesture went a long way, and it meant a lot to me that I had the opportunity to participate in giving back to the wonderful Guardian-Ad-Litems who always have the foster care child’s best interest in mind and at heart,” Treasurer MaryAnn Singer said.
Zavala noted that despite currently being in a leadership position, she was initially hesitant to take on the role due to being a full-time student at the Jupiter campus. However, her doubts subsided once she was able to make connections with members who were just as passionate about supporting one another.
“I find it extremely rewarding when you find people that want to help each other, and I found that in this organization. Over this past year, the officers and I had our ups and downs that every starting club has at the beginning, but we came out of the tunnel stronger than ever and I’m very grateful for that. We learned a lot,” Zavala said.
Bertheau said that her work in the club heavily influenced her future career aspirations. She detailed that their efforts furthered her initiative to continue to help others in a meaningful way.
“Thanks to the life-changing impact that this organization has had on me, I hope to become a Pediatric Surgeon and one day lead a non-profit organization aimed at helping children in third world countries as well as the foster children within our country. Doing volunteer work along with Owls Speak Up for Kids has been a truly inspiring and fulfilling experience. It makes me truly joyful when I know that I am helping make a child’s day brighter and happier,” Bertheau said.
When asked about why she originally joined Owls Speak Up for Kids, Zavala remarked that it was the goal of helping foster children in need that motivated her the most.
“I chose to join the club because children and the concept of childhood are very important to me. A large part of who we are is based on our childhood, and I believe children only deserve the best and our future most definitely depends on them. Many people take this for granted and believe kids won’t remember things or are too little to understand things,” Zavala said. “And although that may be partially true, our minds are sponges as we grow and children may be wiser than we may think they are. In a world full of stress and anxiety, we need to show more compassion and love to those who need it most. I hope this chapter can take away at least some of the stress the foster care system can have on kids and bring a little more happiness to their lives.”
Darlene Antoine is the Features Editor for the University Press. For information regarding this or other stories, email antoined2019@fau.edu.
Birthday Celebration Makes Wishes Come True For Foster Kids
GL Homes hosted a birthday party for 20 foster children complete with cake, crafts and presents at the Mounts Botanical Garden in West Palm Beach. The children, ranging in age from two to 12, enjoyed a special arts and crafts project, birthday cake and presents. These foster children are part of the Speak Up for Kids of Palm Beach County program, which provides advocacy to abused, neglected and abandoned children.
Photo credit: Tracey Benson Photography
https://glhomesphilanthropy.com/birthday-celebration-makes-wishes-come-true-for-foster-kids/
Teens Spread Love of Literature With WPB Book Drive
Stuck at home and feeling helpless was something us high school students wanted to change.
For a summer project, we decided to start the West Palm Beach Book Drive. The book drive was started to spread our love for literature to those who needed the extra help during COVID. Literature is important to the both of us as books encourage us to understand other viewpoints, inspire our actions, and help us learn about important topics.
We wanted to help others in our community, so we created a contact-free book drive – a door-to-door service collecting books that we would deliver to the PBC Homeless Coalition and Literacy Coalition of Palm Beach County. We designed, printed, and hand-delivered over 130 flyers to mailboxes.
After our first collection, we received 200 donations! Continuing our collections monthly, we want to spread positivity and inspiration to other high school students to make a difference in their community! Little did we know that this collection was just a small step of our journey. We were able to expand from our community to a partnership with the Literacy Coalition of West Palm Beach. We felt the need to assist our classmates who wanted to support their community during COVID but had difficulty due to safety precautions.
Furthermore, we have started monthly donation collections with our school, allowing us to give community service hours to our fellow students through the Literacy Coalition of PBC. Starting in August, we successfully completed our first book drive meetup and continued to have meet-ups once a month until April. In 6 months, we are proud to say we have awarded 500 community service hours to students of American Heritage and donated over 2,000 books!
The literature we collect includes all types of books, including all types of fiction and nonfiction. Specifically, donations to the PBC Homeless Coalition focus on adult literature involved in education that teaches a reader to develop a skill. These books can help people experiencing homeless improve their situations to be better equipped for certain occupations and interviews.
Recently, we connected with the Joy4All Project and Ripple Kindness Project to extend our reach to inspire more teens to help their communities across the globe. Teaming up with our local Court House, we are currently working with Students Speak Up For Kids to help foster children feel more at home by collecting new and gently used board games. We joined the message for Students Speak Up For Kids because we wanted to support fellow kids in our community with the help of donations from classmates.
Volunteering in our community helped us connect with others and we learned the needs of our community during COVID. We learned about the significant increase of homeless populations in our area due to the loss of jobs from COVID. To make a difference, we decided to help the PBC Homeless Coalition. Additionally, we can relate to the feeling of isolation during COVID with staying home and virtual school. We wanted to spread positivity to local children through books using the Literacy Coalition and board games with Students Speak Up For Kids.
To check out our journey, follow our Facebook page WPBBookDrive, or contact us at Wpbbookdrive@gmail.com!
Speak Up For Kids of Palm Beach County Launches Growing Grads
Speak Up for Kids of Palm Beach County has launched Growing Grads, a new community campaign aimed to celebrate young adults who, despite involvement in the foster care system, are graduating! In conjunction with the launch, Speak Up For Kids received invaluable support from the Leadership Palm Beach County Engage Class of 2021.
“We are profoundly honored and humbled to celebrate our graduates this year! Our triumphant students have risen above their circumstances and worked hard to break the cycle of abuse and neglect through education and empowerment,” said Coleen LaCosta, Executive Director of Speak Up For Kids.
Learn more by visiting the website https://speakupforkidspbc.org or emailing info@SpeakUpForKidsPBC.org
Today in Palm Beach County, there are approximately 1600 children in our local foster care system. While several organizations are doing great work for segments of the foster care population, Speak Up for Kids is unique. As the nonprofit dedicated to the PBC Guardian ad Litem Program, Speak Up serves ALL of these children- from newborn to young adult.
Each of these children has experienced abuse, abandonment, or neglect which has led to entanglement in a complex legal system. The Guardian ad Litem Program provides direct legal advocacy on behalf of the children involved in dependency court proceedings. Their advocates are court-appointed to represent the best interest of the children – in doing so we support the physical, emotional, and educational needs of each individual child.
The 2021 Graduation Celebration- Growing Grads kicks off with the Celebrating YOUth Scholarship in which awards of $500 are available to high school graduates within the foster care system. With community support, Speak Up for Kids plans to grow the new scholarship fund in order to increase award amounts annually. Learn more by visiting the website speakupforkidspbc.org/celebrating-youth.
In lieu of an in-person 2021 Graduation Celebration Event, Speak Up for Kids pivoted to bring the party to the grads despite COVID circumstances. Grads are celebrated with a personal delivery of a congratulatory yard sign and Gifts For Grads swag bag filled with community contributions including gift cards from Speak Up! Learn more by visiting speakupforkidspbc.org/growinggrads.
“For the teens we serve, normalcy and independent living skills are emphasized to ensure a bright future filled with lifelong connections and self-sufficiency,” said Fiona Wade at Speak Up For Kids. “We celebrate the successes of our young adults- especially the significant milestone of graduation at each level in their education.”
This year, Speak Up for Kids is celebrating 32 graduates in Palm Beach County! As Class of 2021, these students cross the finish line as graduates of high school, GED, college, and vocational school. Despite involvement in the foster care system, each of these young adults has reached this significant milestone in their education and deserves to be celebrated.
https://www.goodnewsfl.org/speak-up-for-kids-of-palm-beach-county-launches-growing-grads/
Palm Beach County Proclamation Recognizes May As National Foster Care Month
The Palm Beach County Commission has issued a proclamation designating the month of May as National Foster Care, Speak Up for Kids and Guardian ad Litem Month in honor of the hard work and dedication exhibited on behalf of vulnerable child populations across the county.
There are 20 Guardian ad Litem Circuits in Florida, with Palm Beach County (www.galpbc.org) designated as the 15th Judicial District. The Palm Beach County Guardian ad Litem circuit director is Michelle Canaday, while the executive director for Speak Up for Kids is Coleen LaCosta. Together they serve as Palm Beach County’s dynamic duo of child advocacy.
In addition to the Palm Beach County Commission, the cities of Boynton Beach, Delray Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, the Town of Lake Park and the Village of North Palm Beach have either already issued proclamations or have agreed to do so this month. In May 2022, Speak Up for Kids will host the inaugural Celebration of Advocacy Luncheon to honor volunteers and city and community leaders in the continued effort to protect, advocate and speak up for children.
“Last year, we asked the Palm Beach County Commission, as well as each city, to sign a proclamation in support of May as National Foster Care Month, in addition to recognizing the work of Speak Up for Kids and the Palm Beach County Guardian ad Litem,” LaCosta said. “We were at the height of a pandemic, and still, the support was tremendous. This year’s support has been no different.”
The need for volunteers is also great.
“We are looking for opportunities to engage with each city in Palm Beach County to forward our mission of ensuring each child involved in dependency court proceedings has a Guardian ad Litem; in essence, a voice in the court system representing only the child’s best interest,” Canady said. “With hundreds of children currently awaiting a volunteer, the need is great, but we continue to be encouraged by the outpouring of support and the opportunity to build awareness.”
Speak Up for Kids (www.speakupforkidspbc.org) is the exclusive nonprofit supporting the efforts of the Palm Beach County Guardian ad Litem program and the close to 700 volunteer child advocates who provide oversight and support to children while also serving as their voice in the court system.
The work of volunteer child advocates and their associated nonprofit supports generates savings to Florida of almost $20 million, estimating it would take an additional 450-plus employees to perform the work of the statewide network of Guardian ad Litem volunteer advocates. In Palm Beach County, there is a savings of greater than $1 million in salaries and mileage reimbursement costs alone.
Speak Up for Kids and the Guardian ad Litem Program work hand-in-hand to not only train and appropriately equip volunteer advocates but to also locate potential foster and forever families and provide funding for activities so children in the system can participate in activities comparable to their peers, including sports, birthdays and music lessons; all allowing for normalcy during the most chaotic time in their young lives.
Palm Beach County’s Biggest Birthday Celebration Benefits Local, Often Forgotten Children
West Palm Beach, FL : As the exclusive nonprofit support of the Palm Beach County Guardian ad Litem volunteer child advocate program, Speak Up for Kids has seen its fair share of abuse and neglect cases involving child victims. For over a decade, their work has ensured security, permanence, and normalcy for foster children, which has yielded thousands of stories from children documenting first-hand how alone and forgotten they often feel, especially when milestones, including birthdays, come and go without celebration or fanfare.
In 2017, the Speak Up for Kids Board of Directors introduced the Gift-A-Birthday program to honor local children involved in dependency cases. “Conversations around child victimization, dependency proceedings, and foster care are nebulous and overwhelming for most people,” says Coleen Lacosta, Speak Up for Kids Executive Director. “Leaving those who want to help to feel as if the problem is just too big. Gift-A-Birthday presents an opportunity for anyone to get involved and effect change.” A $25 donation allows Speak Up for Kids to provide a child a card, cake, and small gift to forward normalcy and a measure of remembrance and acknowledgment.
“It is the small things, the milestones we each celebrate, that fall through the cracks for these children. We will not allow that to continue,” says Celeste Jackson, Chair for Gift-A-Birthday. “We intend to raise enough funds to ensure all 1,600 children in our care have a birthday celebration.”
On April 8, 2021, from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM, the public is invited to celebrate a birthday party of epic proportions hosted by Speak Up for Kids at The Pavilion – 101 S. Flagler Drive West. Tickets and sponsorship opportunities are available now. “We expect a sold-out event, so the earlier you purchase, the better,” says Jackson.
Although Speak Up for Kids accepts birthday sponsorship year-round, this focused Gift-A-Birthday event allows all of Palm Beach County to stand together and in unison say to victimized children, “We celebrate you!”
http://businessnewsthisweek.com/business/palm-beach-countys-biggest-birthday-celebration-benefits-local-often-forgotten-children/
Foster Children Given The Opportunity To Buy A Gift For A Special Person
A local coalition of holiday elves from Speak Up for Kids, CMI Electrical, Marine Plumbing and the Royal Palm Beach Target store joined forces on Monday, Dec. 14 for Better to Give, an epic shopping event for 100 children involved in dependency and foster care.
“I continue to be in awe of our community,” said Coleen LaCosta, executive director of Speak Up for Kids. “I recognize how blessed we are to do the work we do, but without the support of individual and business contributions, our impact would not be as great as it is.”
Though many find it a chore or take for granted the ability to buy a gift for a special person during the holiday season, children in foster care do not often get the opportunity to buy for someone they love. With Better to Give, each child was partnered with a shopper and given $50 to shop for anyone who has impacted their life in a profound way.
The children searched the aisles to choose gifts for foster parents, case managers, siblings, parents, grandparents and their guardians ad litem. They were then ushered into the wrap room, where Target elves and volunteers were on hand to help them choose the perfect wrapping paper and bows, expertly wrapping the presents to make the gift extra special.
“Last year, I helped a little boy shop for his foster parents, and I watched as his foster dad shed tears of gratitude,” volunteer Dorothy Alvarez recalled. “I knew I had to participate again this year, and now I am excited about next year’s Better to Give.”
LaCosta said that the program is needed now more than ever.
“The pandemic has certainly made this year a whirlwind, but COVID-19 could not halt generosity in Palm Beach County or take the cheer out of the holiday season for the children we serve,” she said. “Though their smiles were hidden behind masks, the joyous sparkle in their eyes remained undeniable.”
Schumacher Automotive Group donates $70K to local charities
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (CBS12) — ‘Tis the season for giving back and this year, our friends at Schumacher Automotive Group are giving back to the community in a big way.
The Schumacher family is awarding $70,000 to deserving charities in our area.
Amanda Schumacher says they hope this “Holiday Give Back” will help our community during what has been a very challenging year.
"To be able to say we’re here. We’re here for you not just to sell cars, but here because my husband and I live here, our families are here, and our friends are here and we really do believe in the community and empowering it," Schumacher said.
Some of the charities receiving $5,000 gifts this week include another friend of ours, Big Dog Ranch Rescue, as well as Wounded Veterans Relief Fund and Speak Up for The Kids.
In all, 14 nonprofits will be getting a $5,000 donation as part of this program.
It’s a gift they are all very grateful for this holiday season.
https://cbs12.com/news/morning-show/schumacher-automotive-group-donates-70k-to-local-charities
Leading Charities & Foundations 2020 - 2021
During this season of Thanksgiving, we would like to introduce you to some of South Florida’s critically important charities and the passionate leaders who guide them. We are thankful for for the good work they are doing in a wide variety of areas from protecting our youth and advocating for single mothers to feeding the hungry or providing safe housing. Each charity is making an eternal difference in our community or the world in some way. We urge you to learn more about them and find a place where you can pitch in or offer encouragement.
THANK YOU GOOD NEWS FLORIDA FOR INCLUDING SPEAK UP FOR KIDS IN THIS IMPORTANT ISSUE. WE ARE HONORED TO BE AMOUNG OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND LOOK FORWARD TO HOW WE WILL IMPACT OUR NEIGHBORS FOR THE BETTER.
CHECK OUT THE DIGITAL MAGAZINE HERE:
https://digital.goodnewsfl.org/2020/november/
West Palm Beach Kiwanis Club Speaks Up for Kids with Generous Computer Donation
Twenty new Dell computers were donated to bridge the technology gap for Palm Beach County child victims of abuse.
West Palm Beach, FL, November 05, 2020 --(PR.com)-- As the exclusive nonprofit support of the Palm Beach County Guardian ad Litem Program, Speak Up for Kids knows well the provisional shortfalls within the dependency system and how going without access to various items stymies a child’s potential. The list of needs for children involved in foster care proceedings can be overwhelmingly long ranging including basic, daily-use items such as toothbrushes, personal hygiene products, clothing, and school supplies. “I always get emotional when anyone outside of the foster system develops an understanding of the challenges faced by child victims of abuse,” says Coleen LaCosta, Executive Director for Speak Up for Kids. “But, when they take massive action by creating a project aimed at improving outcomes for kids, I am left speechless.”
When we talk about school supplies, this goes beyond paper, pens, and pencils, and extends to the use of technology, even in K-12 academic settings. What has left LaCosta speechless this time is the heartfelt advocacy and support of the West Palm Beach Kiwanis Club. In a service project spearheaded by 18 year West Palm Beach Chapter Kiwanis Club member, Cherie Boone, 20 Dell computers were donated to Speak Up for Kids in an effort to bridge the educational and technological gap faced by so many children involved in "the system."
“Our Kiwanis chapter is devoted to children and various aspects of the dependency, foster, and adoptive communities and gear many of our serve projects towards agencies who make a difference within those areas,” says Boone. When asked what prompted her to focus support on Speak Up for Kids, Boone said, “I am compelled to help those most vulnerable. These are children, who in the absence of a global pandemic, were in the most dire situations as it relates to normalcy and access. Their circumstances, coupled with COVID made it imperative for us to organize and assist.” Boone knows the successes and generational impact of intervention with child victims as her daughter is a foster parent who adopted from the foster care system. “Service to children is woven into the fabric of our family,” says Boone.
Florida state agencies, including the Department of Children and Families (FDOC) have not been exempted from nationwide budget tightening and were, in fact, told to hold off on planned spending due to shortfalls. Children, however, continued to enter dependency and foster care and the need for essential provision was increased.
According to the School District of Palm Beach County, students are required to use technology to appropriately prepare for the future. To accomplish this, they must be able to execute academic projects, presentations, and learning activities using dynamic technology. It cannot be taken for granted the direction the educational arena has taken especially in answer to COVID-19 where students and teachers transitioned to virtual learning, technology-driven platforms. Although this "wired," mixed media learning environment improves engagement and knowledge retention, enhances individual learning and collaboration, and allows for the use of essential, 21st Century skills, it served to highlight disparities especially within dependency populations. Boone says, “As an organization, West Palm Beach Kiwanis hopes this gift bridges the gap for those who need it most.”
“Words cannot express the gratitude we have for Cherie and the West Palm Beach Kiwanis Club. It is genuinely like an early Christmas,” says LaCosta. “Twenty children will be better able to complete assignments; some may use this gift to complete college applications. What I know for sure is that the Kiwanis Club surely took to heart the commitment to ‘Speak Up for Kids.’”
https://www.pr.com/press-release/824775
Local Child Welfare Leader Champions Foster Kids with Lived Experience
Palm Beach County, FL, August 28, 2020 --(PR.com)-- Michelle Canaday, Circuit Director for the 15th Judicial District of the Florida Guardian ad Litem Program, is the perfect example of what happens when someone speaks words of life and encouragement to a child. Canaday, who is the product of the Wisconsin foster care system, remembers a childhood where the overarching expectation for girls was that they become wives and mothers. At 11 years old, she had a chance interaction over a game of cribbage with a distant male family member who we will call John and who had just completed law school. Canaday reflects, “What you say to children can impact them in such a way that it changes the trajectory of their life.” During their game, John said to her, “You’re a really smart girl. You should consider going to college and doing something with your life.” Canaday held on to that conversation and used it as fuel to propel herself forward through multiple trials.
Canaday oversees the Palm Beach County Guardian ad Litem Program, a corps of greater than 600 volunteer child advocates who represent, in court, the best interests of children involved in abuse, abandonment, and neglect cases. At any given time, our county has between 1,500 and 1,700 children whose lives, through no fault of their own, are hanging in the balance as they attend court proceedings where the fates of their parents, themselves, and in many cases, their siblings are to be determined. The process usually begins with the Department of Children and Families (DCF) alerted to a suspicion of abuse or neglect. DCF sends an investigator who assesses the situation and, if the claims are found to hold merit, intervention is determined, up to and including removing the child or children from the home for their own safety. A dependency court case is opened where each party’s interest – except those of the children - are represented by a cadre of attorneys. Guardians ad Litem are so crucial because they are assigned to represent the best interests of the children involved in these cases and serve as the judge’s set of community eyes and ears focused only on the children. “I think destiny led me to this work and every one of my life experiences, though difficult at the time, served as preparation,” says Canaday who has been at the helm for the past five years.
By all accounts, Canaday should not be the person she is today. As a youngster, her family life proved challenging at best and she was placed in the foster care system at the age of 15. Foster care is a temporary living situation for children whose parents cannot take care of them and whose need for care has been brought to the attention of a local child welfare agency. A teen mom who graduated high school at 16 just before giving birth to her first child, with little support from her daughter’s father, Canaday remained determined to do the most with her life. Hanging on to that distant conversation with John so many years prior, Canaday applied for entrance to the local community college. Because of her age, she needed special clearance from the dean of the school as 18 was the required age for acceptance. Not to be dissuaded, Canaday filed the appropriate appeals and was accepted to the school. She worked, took care of her daughter, and attended classes, continuing always to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Again, John’s words continued to echo in her head through each obstacle.
Next, she was presented with the dreaded financial aid packet. “This was thirty plus years ago, so there was no FAFSA online, internet, and everything at your fingertips. I was handed a huge packet to be completed by hand. And the worst part was that I need financial information from my parents,” recalls Canaday. “Hello! I do not have parents.” Worse was there was little assistance offered by the school’s financial aid office. Canaday set about tracking down her mother who surprised her by providing the documents necessary to fully – and painfully - complete the application which thankfully aided in securing a much-needed Pell Grant. She was off and running.
It was towards the end of her first semester that Canaday began to feel the compounded pressures of adulthood, parenthood, and college-life. Canaday also found she was pregnant with her second child. Because she was already struggling with balancing all the components of her life and found she would have to postpone completing school until she could see a way forward.
When asked if, when faced with what seemed insurmountable odds, she maintained faith that she would make it through Canaday says, “I had dropped out of school and knew it would take seven years for me to complete college, then law school and that seemed impossible. I figured I would go to paralegal school because I could make money even though it wasn’t really what I wanted. I was speaking with a treasured confidante who pointed out to me that seven years would pass regardless of what I was doing and suggested I look at the larger picture; I could settle or I could put in the time and the work and just go big.” Canaday went huge. She credits her daughter, Nicki, with corralling the younger children in the evenings while she attended classes. “I cooked dinner and she made sure everyone ate and completed homework. We were really a team,” says Canaday. “I could not have done it without her.” As Canaday talks about her children, you can hear the adoration in her voice, and you can clearly see that they served as her "why."
Canaday interned at the Attorney General’s Office in Broward County and then accepted a position with Children’s Legal Services where she served as the voice for children involved in both justice and civil welfare proceedings. She worked in that capacity for 12 years, introducing her to all facets of the child advocacy and cementing her desire to do more to ensure children had every opportunity to thrive. When Canaday was initially approached about the Palm Beach County Guardian ad Litem Circuit Director position, she declined because she felt that she could better serve children in the courtroom, as a daily, vocal advocate, ensuring their interests were represented, rights maintained, and justice served. She changed her mind after several conversations with her husband and number one cheerleader, David Kinigson, who encouraged her to consider that although she would miss direct courtroom advocacy, as the Circuit Director she could influence outcomes for thousands of children through program and case oversight. “David is an amazing support. He knows my heart and is absolutely the wind beneath my wings,” says Canaday, who has been the Circuit Director for five years and could not be happier or more fulfilled in her work.
So, what ever happened to John, the cribbage partner turned unknowing inspiration? After completing law school and securing a position with Children’s Legal Services, Canaday decided to seek out John. She could not find him on Facebook, so she checked LinkedIn and was able to connect with him. She sent him a message thanking him for his kind words over the cribbage board so many years earlier and shared with him how that one conversation, that one small interaction, made such a profound difference in her life. She recalls him being extremely humbled by her acknowledgement and happy that he had such a direct impact on her. John currently serves as a regional attorney for a New England child advocacy agency.
Today, Canaday is happily married to her wonderful husband David, her children Nicki, Dustin, and Dakota are in their 30’s and though none of her children followed her footsteps in the legal profession, each is tremendously successful in their chosen field. She is also the grandmother of three boys, ages 18, 14, and 3, and has achieved a balance and an abundance she only dreamed about. “I thought this life was reserved for other people.”
Although Canaday continues to be shocked by the horrors parents inflict upon their children, she remains “...more encouraged by the heart and drive of those who choose to work in child advocacy.” What continues to drive Canaday? “At the end of each day, I want to know that my work has made someone else’s life better.”
About Speak Up for Kids of Palm Beach County
Speak Up for Kids of Palm Beach County, Inc. is the exclusive 501(c)(3) fundraising arm for the Guardian ad Litem Program of Palm Beach County, Florida. We champion best-interest child advocacy through the recruitment, training, and retention of court-appointed volunteer child advocates. These “guardian angels” are committed solely to each child’s emotional, educational, and physical well-being throughout dependency court proceedings as the only 100% objective voice. Through effective advocacy the cycles of abuse, violence, and crime are being broken one child at a time, and children’s futures are being rewritten.
Contact Information:
Speak Up for Kids
Coleen LaCosta
561-408-7779
Contact via Email
speakupforkidspbc.org
Read the full story here: https://www.pr.com/press-release/820002
Press Release Distributed by PR.com
Palm Beach County's Biggest Birthday Celebration Benefits Local Vulnerable Children
On April 8, 2021, Speak Up for Kids is set to host the Gift-A-Birthday extravaganza, touted as Palm Beach County's biggest birthday celebration, all proceeds will benefit the almost 1,600 local child victims of abuse and neglect.
West Palm Beach, FL, August 06, 2020 --(PR.com)-- On April 8, 2021, Speak Up for Kids is set to host the Gift-A-Birthday extravaganza, the brainchild of local author, communications strategist, and mother of two, Shaw Thomas. Touted as Palm Beach County’s biggest birthday celebration, all proceeds will benefit the almost 1,600 local child victims of abuse and neglect.
Shaw Thomas was introduced to child welfare and the societal implications of abuse, abandonment, and neglect through her work with various South Florida organizations. Through her many service efforts, she was learned about the work of the Guardian ad Litem Program, a league of approximately 600 volunteer court-appointed child advocates serving as the voice for victims of maltreatment.
“I saw, in a very real way, how the budget shortfalls realized by the Guardian ad Litem Program had a direct impact on the safety, security, normalcy, and permanency goals of the children the system set out to serve,” says Thomas. When a dedicated group of volunteer advocates decided to form the Speak Up for Kids of Palm Beach County nonprofit with an exclusive focus on raising supplemental funding for the Guardian ad Litem, Thomas was at the table as a founding member, dedicated to achieving 100% advocacy for all children involved in dependency proceedings.
Known in her professional circles as a solution-oriented leader, Thomas created Speak Up for Kids "Gift-A-Birthday" program as a call to action. “To be truly impactful, conversations around child welfare and foster care must include normalcy for victims. That includes celebrating a child on his or her birthday,” says Thomas, “and anyone can make that happen with a $25 donation.”
“Conversations around child victimization, dependency proceedings, and foster care are nebulous and overwhelming at best for most people, leaving those who really want to help feeling as if the problem is just too big,” says Coleen LaCosta, Speak Up for Kids Executive Director and local victims’ advocate. “Gift-A-Birthday presents an opportunity for anyone to get involved and effect change.”
Once Thomas, LaCosta, and the Speak Up for Kids Board of Directors met to cement plans, they decided unanimously to name local financial and fundraising powerhouse, Celeste Jackson as the Honorary Chair for Gift-A-Birthday. Jackson, whose fundraising efforts span greater than 20 years and has benefited multiple causes, had a chance meeting with LaCosta greater than 10 years ago. That encounter morphed into a decade long friendship, various events, and countless fundraisers all to benefit the most vulnerable in our population.
The public is invited to celebrate with Speak Up for Kids on April 8, 2021 at The Pavilion – 101 S. Flagler Drive West – from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM. Tickets and sponsorship opportunities are available now. “We expect a sold-out event, so the earlier you purchase, the better,” says Jackson.
“I cannot tell you how many children have shared with me their heartbreak over not ever being celebrated,” says LaCosta. Jackson echoes that sentiment, “It is the small things, the milestones we each celebrate, that fall through the cracks for these children. We will not allow that to continue.”
Through ongoing financial support, Speak Up for Kids champions the efforts of the volunteer child advocates of the Guardian ad Litem Program (www.GALPBC.gov) and the numerous child victims they serve. For more information on Gift-A-Birthday, other Speak Up for Kids events, to request sponsorship information, or to find other ways you or your organization can help, visit www.speakupforkidspbc.org.
Contact Information:
Speak Up for Kids
Coleen LaCosta
561-408-7779
Contact via Email
speakupforkidspbc.org
Read the full story here: https://www.pr.com/press-release/818438
Press Release Distributed by PR.com
County students can give foster kids a stronger voice
https://www.palmbeachpost.com/lifestyle/20200804/county-students-can-give-foster-kids-stronger-voice
Students Speak Up For Kids provides students opportunities to serve and speak up for the children involved in Palm Beach County’s dependency court system.
Creating birthday cards for foster kids. Writing notes of encouragement. Virtual tutoring.
These are a few of the many projects schoolchildren can participate in to help foster children through a new community program by Speak Up for Kids of Palm Beach County.
Speak Up for Kids is excited to launch Students Speak Up For Kids, a new program encouraging student-led, project-based advocacy benefiting children in the foster care system. Meaningful volunteer opportunities are available to students of all grade levels in Palm Beach County.
“Students Speak Up For Kids captures the true spirit and commitment Speak Up for Kids has made to our children and youth,” said Executive Director Coleen LaCosta. “This program meets a community need by expanding our reach and serving all students in Palm Beach County.”
LaCosta was honored to receive a Positive Youth Impact Grant from the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties to help launch this program.
Trish Zenczak joined the Speak Up for Kids team to roll out the program. Zenczak became a foster parent in 2000 in order to give back to all those who so generously mentored, fostered and cared for her through childhood.
Her experience as a group home resident and her passion as a foster mom has led her down the path of adoption and guardianship and now, advocacy. She believes that “everyone can do something” and is excited to offer her experience to help empower Students Speak Up For Kids.
Students Speak Up For Kids provides students opportunities to serve and speak up for the children involved in Palm Beach County’s dependency court system. The goal is to promote positive youth development. Student-led advocacy teaches giving, builds upon unique talent and leadership skills, and ultimately fosters a cohesive community of inclusion and understanding among students in their schools and in their neighborhoods.
“We have found students to be passionate, energetic and eager to make a difference in their communities,” said Fiona Wade, director of development for Speak Up for Kids. “High school students are actively reaching out to Speak Up for Kids seeking meaningful community service opportunities and requesting a pathway to partner with a nonprofit in order to differentiate themselves as college and employment applicants.”
Students Speak Up For Kids created three easy ways to get involved: individual projects, group projects and campus chapters. Students are free to use a premade toolkit or design their own advocacy campaign. The group encourages creativity for endless possibilities. Students can easily submit their volunteer hour log and receive a comprehensive summary from the program.
Some elementary level projects include hand art for Celebration of the Hands during Florida Children’s Week (the hand pictures hang at the Capitol); coloring and writing notes of encouragement; and making birthday cards for foster kids (there are 1,700).
Middle-schoolers also can join in on their own projects, such as creative art projects, such as Illustrate Special Topics in Foster Care; creation of cards and posters to thank volunteer child advocates; content writing to be featured on the Students Speak Up For Kids blog; and creation of social media posts and awareness.
Teens and high school students seeking to service their communities can read virtually to foster children; become virtual tutors to foster kids; help in online content creation and blogging; create student news and video segments on morning announcements; and distribute flyers in their community.
There also are group projects for students to experience, such as 10 10 10 — where for 10 days, 10 people together complete 10 Speak Up For Kids activities; creating a seasonal sport event table and participating in SGA (Student Government Association) engagement and leadership projects.
Students Speak Up For Kids also offers a grade-level appropriate presentation and activity on foster care awareness. Teachers have the opportunity to lead their own class awareness project guided by a toolkit. Parents can join in on the new program via family projects.
Those interested in Students Speak Up For Kids should be on the lookout for school-to-school challenges, which are in the works — especially during Child Abuse Prevention month.
ALAN ABRAMOWITZ RE-APPOINTED AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE STATEWIDE GUARDIAN AD LITEM OFFICE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Debra Ervin DATE: July 29, 2020 Phone: (850) 922-7213
Debra.Ervin@gal.fl.gov
ALAN ABRAMOWITZ RE-APPOINTED AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE STATEWIDE GUARDIAN AD LITEM OFFICE
[Tallahassee] - Governor Ron DeSantis has reappointed Mr. Alan Abramowitz as Executive Director of the Statewide Guardian ad Litem Office, for a three-year term that began on July 2, 2020.
The Guardian ad Litem Program represents abused, abandoned and neglected children in Florida’s dependency system, and Abramowitz has been Executive Director since 2010.
In announcing the re-appointment, Governor DeSantis wrote to Abramowitz, “Your appointment is evidence of my utmost confidence in your ability to serve with excellence and distinction.”
“I am honored to serve Governor Ron DeSantis and the children of the State of Florida,” said Abramowitz. “I am motivated and inspired by the children we serve, the volunteers that offer their time and energy to give children a voice, and the staff who work as part of a multidisciplinary team to make a difference in the lives of abused and neglected children. I want to thank the Governor and the Legislature for their unwavering support of the Program’s best interests’ model of representation. Their commitment to shaping laws to give child advocates the tools to more effectively advocate for children’s safety, permanency and well being has been outstanding."
Abramowitz, who served in the Florida National Guard and the United States Army, is Board Certified in Juvenile Law. He has a passion for working with volunteers, having previously served in the Peace Corps as a volunteer.
Abramowitz received his bachelor’s degree from Kansas State University, his master’s degree
from the University of Central Florida and his law degree from Florida State University.
To learn more about the Guardian ad Litem Foundation, or to become a volunteer, visit www.flgal.org or call 1-850-922-7213
Community starts preparing for starting the new school year virtually
by Chuck Weber
Thursday, July 9th 2020
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (CBS12) — Parents, students, teachers and others in Palm Beach County on Thursday started getting used to the likelihood school will begin next month, not on campus, but virtually.
Citing the recent surge in coronavirus cases in Palm Beach County School Board members, meeting in a workshop session Wednesday, backed distance learning as the method to start the new school year set to begin Aug. 10.
The School Board is expected to formally approve the move at a meeting Wednesday, July 15. After that, the Florida Department of Education must sign off on the district's plans.
“One of the biggest worries to me is that these kids are not going to have their teachers eyes on them,” said Diana Reese, a volunteer guardian ad litem who advocates for children in court.
Reese is with Speak Up for Kids, a not-for-profit supporting Palm Beach County’s guardian ad litem program, as well as Foster Palm Beach, which recruits foster parents. she pointed out teachers, like police and health care professionals, are among those required to report any instances of abuse.
“They really see what’s happening with these kids on a day-to-day basis,” she said. “They notice changes in their behaviors, sometimes before someone else.”
On Thursday in Jacksonville, Gov. Ron DeSantis said if Walmart and Home Depot are open for business, kids can physically attend school.
DeSantis was joined by U.S. Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia, who said it’s lower income Americans who have a tougher time when kids stay home and distance learn.
“So it’s hard enough to telecommute when kids are in school," Secretary Scalia said. "But for many parents, that’s not even an option. Those are lower income parents we know have been hit harder by the virus.”
But Palm Beach County School Board members addressed the importance of facilitating all students, including those where English is not the first language in the home.
School Board members also discussed the possibility buildings might still open for teachers who want to conduct their virtual lessons in their regular classrooms.