Adopt-A-Family Holiday 2020 Newsletter

NOVEMBER 2020

B OARD O F D I RECTO R S Penny Heller Board Chair Kirstin Turner First Vice Chair Heather B. Ferguson Secretary John C. Elder Treasurer Bill Peterson Immediate Past Chair Lynda M. Murphy Member-At-Large Chris Oberlink Member-At-Large Matthew Constantine Chief Executive Officer Jonathan Bain Sean P. Bresnan John C. Castronuovo Thomas Frankel John P. Marasco Elizabeth Morales Tequisha Myles

of the Palm Beaches, Inc. 36TH ANNUAL TREE LIGHTING CELEBRATION: MAKE PLANS TO JOIN US ONLINE For 35 years, Adopt-A-Family’s Tree Lighting Celebration has kicked off the holiday season with a festive fundraiser in Palm Beach. Because we cannot gather together in person this year, we have designed a virtual event that encapsulates the magic of our signature celebration.

event with dedication and enthusiasm.

Adopt-A-Family is grateful for the support, generosity, and leadership of our co-chairs, Tree Lighting Committee members, donors, and Board of Directors.

Proceeds from the 2019 Tree Lighting Celebration equipped Adopt-A-Family to swiftly respond to COVID-19’s The 36th Annual Virtual Tree Co-chairs Nancy Kalaher impact on local families. This Lighting Celebration will take and Beth Hennessy year’s event will help support place on Tuesday, December 1 our continued efforts to serve the growing at 6:45pm. The event will include stories of number of families affected by the pandemic. hope from clients, an exciting live auction led by Neil Saffer, and remarks from our For the first time in many years, our Tree CEO, Matt Constantine. Our renowned silent Lighting Celebration has four grand auction will migrate online and will open on benefactors. Additionally, November 21, giving you longtime donors have plenty of time to bid on your HOW TO WATCH AND BID – increased their annual giving, favorite items.

SEE PAGE 2 and one family stepped forward with a $100,000 match Beth Hennessy and Nancy offer, providing supporters with an amazing Kalaher are the event co-chairs, and they opportunity to have their gifts doubled. helped transform Tree Lighting to a virtual

Cristina Nuñez de Landaluce Jeff W. Preston Garth E. Rosenkrance

SNEAK PEAK AT TREE LIGHTING’S LIVE AUCTION ITEMS THREE-NIGHT STAY AT BLACKBERRY FARM LUXURY HOTEL & RESORT

Adopt-A-Family is a 501(c) (3) not-for-profit, charitable organization established in 1983. Our mission is to strengthen families with children in their efforts to achieve stability and self-sufficiency by providing access to all-encompassing services.

This year’s featured live auction item is a three-night getaway to Blackberry Farm located in the Smoky Mountains in eastern Tennessee. The country resort sits on 4,200 acres of pasture and woods and offers exquisite culinary experiences (all meals included), wine tastings, spa services, hiking, fly fishing, and more.

TWO-NIGHT STAY AT A LUXURIOUS OLD PALM GOLF CLUB CASITA Enjoy 2 rounds of golf, complementary golf cart, and breakfast and lunch for two.

TWO-HOUR SUNSET CHAMPAGNE DINNER CRUISE Grab some friends to enjoy views of the Jupiter Lighthouse, Jupiter Island, and Sunset Bay from aboard the Food Yacht. Heavy appetizers and champagne for six guests included.

FAR NIENTE VIRTUAL WINE TASTING FOR 10 Enjoy an hour-long virtual wine tasting from the comfort of your home. A wine pro will guide the tasting that includes wines and selected artisanal cheeses and charcuterie from Jasper Hill Farms.

DUAL-ZONE WINE REFRIGERATOR Holds up to 24 bottles. Carefully selected wines included.

MAKE PLANS TO JOIN US FOR TREE LIGHTING ON DECEMBER 1 HOW TO WATCH THE VIRTUAL TREE LIGHTING CELEBRATION Everyone is invited to participate in our 36th Annual Tree Lighting Celebration! No need to purchase a ticket.

Tuesday, December 1 6:45pm – 8:00pm Three options to join the live broadcast:

1. Virtual Tree Lighting Bidding Page: aaftree.cbo.io

2. Facebook:

www.facebook.com/AAFPBC

3. YouTube:

tinyurl.com/y3pve9br OR search “Adopt-A-Family of the Palm Beaches” in the search bar. Scroll down to Adopt-A-Family’s logo and click on it to be directed to our page.

Contact Layren Calvo at 561-253-1363 or lcalvo@aafpbc.org if you need additional information.

PROJECT GROW REOPENS After seven months of virtual programming, Project Grow happily welcomed a limited number of students back into the building on October 26.

Students are divided into cohorts and interact only with children in their group. Air filtration machines have been installed in all classrooms. Each child has a full set of school supplies to eliminate sharing. A cleaning person is on-site during program hours, so bathrooms, common spaces, and play equipment are sanitized constantly. Virtual programming continues for children whose parents prefer them to remain at home. We believe it has been critical for Project Grow to model flexibility and perseverance during the COVID-19 crisis. Project Grow’s children have faced hardships and setbacks all their lives, and are still learning how to overcome adversity. By showing these children that education and personal growth are possible even under strange and unprecedented circumstances, Project Grow is teaching powerful life lessons.

HOW TO BID IN THE ONLINE AUCTION Our famous silent auction will take place virtually this year. Bids will be accepted from November 21 at 8am – December 5 at 8pm. Enjoy shopping for a cause!

1. Visit aaftree.cbo.io 2. Click on the Register Now button to create your

bidder account.

3. Click Submit after entering all fields.

An email will confirm your account and bidder number.

4. Return to the auction page at aaftree.cbo.io and enter your bidder number or email address where it says Welcome!

5. Log in with password and tap GO.

6. Confirm your identity and hit Continue.

7. Browse and search for items. To place a bid, tap on the

dark blue Bid/Info button. You can place a fast bid or bid the max to secure the item.

8. Tap on MENU > MY ITEMS to view your activity

throughout the event.

ADOPT-A-FAMILY RECEIVES BANK OF AMERICA’S 2020 NEIGHBORHOOD BUILDERS AWARD On November 3, the Bank of America Charitable Foundation presented Adopt-A-Family with its prestigious 2020 Neighborhood Builders award. One hundred awardees from 50 communities nationwide were named Neighborhood Builders in 2020. AdoptA-Family is the program’s first repeat winner in Palm Beach County, having earned the distinction in 2009 as well. Adopt-A-Family accepted the award in a virtual ceremony, and the agency was proud to share the honor with Palm Beach County’s other 2020 winner, the Education Foundation of Palm Beach County. Each Neighborhood Builders awardee receives $200,000 in flexible funding, a year of leadership training for the executive director and an emerging leader at the organization, and a network of peer organizations across the United States. Adopt-A-Family is incredibly grateful for the Bank of America Charitable Foundation’s ongoing investment in our community and their long-term partnership and support of the families served by our agency.

ERIKA AND DAVID: A NEIGHBORHOOD STABILIZATION PROGRAM SUCCESS STORY When Erika and her husband David walked through the doors of their new home for the first time in June, they felt the kind of excitement we all feel on New Year’s Eve. “It was like January 1 when 12 o’clock hits and the firecrackers explode,” Erika said.

and trauma. “There were women every day dealing with the same stuff I was dealing with,” she said. “Their stories helped me to keep going.”

For Erika and David, their new house symbolized the start of a bright new chapter, only a few years removed from utter hardship.

The couple and their children first came to Adopt-A-Family in 2015, seeking shelter, stability, and hope. Their struggles were plentiful, from medical issues to family traumas.

The agency’s Neighborhood Stabilization Program 2 provided the family with a stable home they could afford, case management, and access to services that supported them on the path to stability.

“Adopt-A-Family gave us that extra hope that it was all going to work out,” Erika said.

Erika helped others, even during her darkest days, in her work at a local women’s shelter. She met women who endured homelessness

It was the couple’s commitment to improving their circumstances that enabled them realize their ultimate goal – homeownership. When Erika and David began saving for a down payment, they kept it a secret from everyone, including their family. “When we finally closed, I just sent everybody a picture with me holding the key,” Erika said. Now, they eagerly anticipate the day when it is safe enough to open their doors to welcome all of their friends and family who supported them along the way.

When asked what was next for her family, Erika replied, “Just living, loving, and laughing – a lot of laughing.” Erika and David had another blessing this year when they became first-time grandparents. Erika’s advice for other people facing life’s obstacles?

“Stay strong and know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

And keep your faith. Faith is everything."

2020 UNITED WAY EMPLOYEE CAMPAIGN: PAY IT FORWARD Every year, Adopt-A-Family holds a week-long campaign to raise funds for United Way of Palm Beach County. Adopt-A-Family’s 2020 United Way Campaign theme was Pay It Forward, and the agency certainly lived up to that credo. The 2020 festivities included informative sessions with our partners from Legal Aid and CROS Ministries, a maskdecorating contest, a socially distanced food truck lunch, and intense trivia competitions.

AAF’s 2020 United Way Campaign Chairs Jodi MacNeal and Abbey Hartman

YES! $25

$50

By week’s end, 100% of our staff pledged donations to United Way, and the agency surpassed its fundraising goal. These donations will support United Way-funded organizations that do impactful work throughout our community. As a grateful beneficiary of United Way’s support, Adopt-A-Family is happy to Pay It Forward.

I would like to make a difference in the lives of families who are experiencing homelessness by contributing the following:

$100

$500

Donor’s Choice $

Make your tax-deductible contribution to Adopt-A-Family of the Palm Beaches.

Mail your donation to Adopt-A-Family in the enclosed envelope.

Give online at www.adoptafamilypbc.org

Check Enclosed Visa Mastercard AmEx

Name (please print): Account Number

Address:

Exp. Date

City: Phone:

Email:

Signature

A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE (800-435-7352) WITHIN THE STATE. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE. REGISTRATION #CH2076

Adopt-A-Family of the Palm Beaches, Inc. 1712 Second Avenue North Lake Worth, FL 33460-3210 Phone: (561) 253-1361 www.adoptafamilypbc.org facebook.com/AAFPBC Twitter - @aafpbc Instagram - @aafpbc LinkedIn - aafpbc

FALL FESTIVITIES AT ADOPT-A-FAMILY! Left: Program REACH’s first Fall Festival gave the resident children an opportunity to safely trick or treat, enjoy a pizza party, and strike a pose in their costumes.

Right: Costumed kiddos collected candy and trinkets at our Third Annual Trunk or Treat event at Project SAFE. The kids didn’t mind keeping their social distance from spooky displays like this one!

HELP A LOCAL FAMILY IN NEED THIS HOLIDAY SEASON VISIT THE “EVENTS” TAB ON OUR WEBSITE (AAFPBC.ORG) FOR MORE INFORMATION

HOLIDAY ADOPTER

SANTA SHOPPE

HRC GIFT GIVING EVENT

Deliver the joy of the season to a family without the means to buy holiday gifts. “Adopt” a family by purchasing gifts from their wish list or providing gift cards to enable families to shop.

This year, agency children will meet Santa from a safe distance and be given a personalized gift, treats, and take-home crafts. Donors can “adopt” a child by purchasing a gift from their wish list.

The Homeless Resource Center is collecting gifts for their annual Gift Giving Event, where parents experiencing homelessness can “shop” for gifts for their children from December 18-20.

Contact Maria at mevangelista@aafpbc.org

Contact Sena at sbarnor@aafpbc.org

Contact Lisa at lraymond@aafpbc.org