WINTER 2017
B OARD OF D I RECTO R S
Garth E. Rosenkrance Chairman of the Board William B. Peterson First Vice Chair Penny Heller Second Vice Chair Heather B. Ferguson Secretary James Llende Treasurer Christine Oberlink Member at-large Lynda M. Murphy, Esq. Immediate Past Chairman Matthew Constantine Chief Executive Officer, LCSW Cristina Araujo Sean P. Bresnan John Elder Mari Frankel John P. Marasco Jay R. Marcus Jeffrey Preston Kirstin Turner Dana Perez, CFO, ex-officio
ADOPT-A-FAMILY
of the Palm Beaches, Inc. 32ND ANNUAL TREE LIGHTING CELEBRATION RAISES MORE THAN $450,000 FOR PALM BEACH COUNTY FAMILIES IN NEED On December 6, 2016 more than 250 dedicated Adopt-A-Family supporters gathered for the 32nd Annual Tree Lighting Celebration. The event featured vibrant auction formats, elegant cuisine, a powerful success story, and news regarding the shared accomplishments between our one-of-a-kind supporters and the agency as whole. Year after year the event ensures the sustainability of Adopt-A-Family’s mission and core services. For the first time in the event’s storied history, there were three Grand Benefactors. We send gratitude to Edward and Linda Edelman, Nancy Kyle and Jack Fraser, and The Edward L. Hennessy Jr. and Ruth S. Hennessy Foundation for their invaluable support. To the Tree Lighting Chairmen, Holly Maisto and Penny Heller, thank you for your energy and enthusiasm leading one of Palm Beach County’s most dedicated fundraising committees! Thank you to ALL members of the 32nd Annual Tree Lighting Committee. The event would not be possible without you.
Mrs. Patricia Anathan, Mrs. Judy Backstrom, Mrs. Trudy B. Brekus, Ms. Lori Corrigan, Ms. Sandra Cofer, Mrs. Jen Dudnyk, Mrs. Sheila Dunne, Mrs. Karen Fischer, Mrs. Mari Frankel, Mrs. Julie Gambale, Mrs. Dona Gibbs, Mrs. Carolyn Haggerty, Mrs. Carrie Hanna, Mrs. Sherry Hay, Ms. Beth Hennessy, Mrs. Ann Jaeder, Mrs. Carol Jeney, Mrs. Nancy Kalaher, Mrs. Lelie Lindahl, Mrs. Brenda McGarrity, Mrs. Marietta McNulty, Mrs. Paula Michel, Mrs. Lynn Mullings, Mrs. Carol Nolan, Mrs. Chris Oberlink, Mrs. Debby Parr, Mrs. Kathy Peterson, Mrs. Jenny Pizzo, Mrs. Ana Rillo, Ms. Jeanette Ristau, Ms. Julie Rudolph, Ms. Adele Siegel, Mrs. Didi Smith, Mrs. Susan Spera, Mrs. Alice M. Tarone, Mrs. Anita Tauber, Mrs. Barbara Thomas, Mrs. Anne Torline, Mrs. Meredith Trim, Mrs. Adrianne Weissman, Mrs. Tracy Wodraska, Mrs. Layren Calvo (Adopt-A-Family staff).
“FEELS LIKE HOME” PROJECT BRIDGES COMMUNITY & FORMERLY HOMELESS FAMILIES 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 winter Adopt-A-Family launched the Feels Like Home program with the help of the Palm Beach County ‘Canes. The community engagement project has a goal of providing a welcoming environment to formerly homeless families transitioning to a new apartment to call home. Each family, and specifically their children, creates a wish list of toys, items, and household amenities that will make their new apartment “feel like home.” Jordan White, President of the University of Miami Palm Beach County Alumni Chapter, had these powerful words to share about his experience participating in the project. “Home is not just a place where we live. Home is a feeling. Home is unconditional love and support. Unfortunately, many families do not have a place to call home. Adopt-A-Family was able to provide this beautiful family with a new home and I’m proud we played a part in bringing them hope for a brighter future. Giving back in such a meaningful way will always bring a smile to my face.” To learn more about an upcoming “Feels Like Home” project, contact Sean Dollard at sdollard@aafpbc. org or call 561.253.1361 ext. 139.
ADOPT-A-FAMILY EARNS AN ELITE 10TH CONSECUTIVE 4-STAR RATING FROM CHARITY NAVIGATOR: SPECIAL NOTE FROM THE CEO
Dear Adopt-A-Family Community, As many in our close-knit community may know, we were recently notified that we earned the landmark achievement of a 10th consecutive 4-star Charity Navigator rating. In the updated rating letter to the agency, Michael Thatcher (President and CEO of Charity Navigator) wrote in part; “Attaining a 4-star rating verifies that Adopt-A-Family exceeds industry standards and outperforms most charities in their area of work. Only 1% of charities we evaluate have received at least 10 consecutive 4-star evaluations, indicating that Adopt-A-Family outperforms most other charities in America. This exceptional designation from Charity Navigator sets Adopt-A-Family apart from its peers and demonstrates to the public its trustworthiness.” In addition to being a pivotal outcome in our strategic plan, this recognition will help us in our ultimate goal of increasing our capacity to better serve Palm Beach County families in need. To our funders, supporters, staff, neighbors, and community partners, thank you for all that you do for the families we serve and the community at-large. Your partnership, investment, and support made this possible. Sincerely, Matt Constantine, CEO
BANK OF AMERICA GRANT AND COMCAST SPOTLIGHT DONATION HIGHLIGHT SPECIAL GIVING TUESDAY
A PROJECT GROW TEACHER BUILT A COMMUNITY GARDEN FROM SCRATCH, TEACHING LIFE LESSONS ALONG THE WAY (EXCERPT FROM BLOG ON ADOPTAFAMILYPBC.ORG)
Our friends from Bank of America visited us on “Giving Tuesday” to present the agency with a $15,000 basic needs grant in support of Wiley Reynolds Gardens Apartments. The grant is part of a more than $600,000 collective investment the bank is making in South Florida to address issues related to basic human services. The Wiley Reynolds program provides housing and supportive services to nine formerly homeless families, with a special emphasis on financial literacy. We thank Bank of America for making a difference in the lives of formerly homeless families at AAF! #BofAGrants. Pictured, Bank of America’s Susan Rabinowitz and Dan Jardin with CEO Matt Constantine. Also on Giving Tuesday… The caring team at Comcast Spotlight, who have worked closely with Program REACH over the past year, presented our team with $1,600 in staff donations. We are truly humbled by this act of generosity and send gratitude to Comcast Spotlight for the many meaningful projects they have taken part in over the past year. One of the most recent projects included inviting all Program REACH families to their offices for a day of trick-or-treating and snacks. A special thanks to Comcast Spotlight‘s Elaine Textor, Gabriela Fuller, and Jenelle Penate who are pictured with our team.
This winter, Adopt-A-Family’s Evan Schoenly (Mr. S) put the finishing touches on a meaningful community garden space behind the basketball court at Project Grow. In January, we sat down with Mr. S to learn all about the project coming to life. Here’s an excerpt from his full-interview that is available on our website. We know this project started literally from the ground up. How did you bring this garden to life? “During summer camp, we began with small planters out of 2-liter bottles. We tried growing random stuff like mini carrots and radishes. It didn’t work too well, but the students showed a ton of enthusiasm and excitement. Their fascination sparked my goal to develop a meaningful garden space. I said to myself, ‘We can definitely MAKE THIS HAPPEN.’ I began mapping it out and planning how we could make the garden a reality. After that, everything fell into place. One day I was driving home and saw 20 vinyl pots up for grabs on the side of the road, so I grabbed those in addition to getting a free truckload of fertilizer near the fairgrounds. The next step was finding free top soil near a construction site in Boca I just happened to be driving by the same week. You better believe I shoveled top soil directly into the bed of my truck until I was sore. I pulled this all together with just about zero budget. Today, we have a garden. I couldn’t be more proud.”
ADOPT-A-FAMILY HOLIDAY PROGRAMS PROVIDE GIFTS & SPECIAL MOMENTS FOR HUNDREDS OF FAMILIES This year’s Santa Shoppe celebration was nothing short of magical. Though the holiday craze placed two very meaningful events only days apart, our hardworking and resilient staff (along with our one-of-a-kind supporters) pulled off another memorable Santa Shoppe. Special thanks to our 2016 Santa Shoppe Coordinators, Christina Hewitt and Odet Rodriguez, our dedicated volunteer teams, and our special guests, Mr. and Mrs. Claus. Due to YOUR efforts, more than 250 children were matched with their “wish list” gift and were also given the opportunity to “shop” for their siblings and parents. You can view photos from Santa Shoppe by visiting our Facebook page! The Holiday Adopter Program, which matches philanthropic-minded businesses and families from the community to our families in need, once again provided special moments and memories for all involved. Through the program, more than 140 families were served while 102 local businesses gave back in meaningful ways, including gifts from families’ respective wish lists and countless gift cards that empowered our families to shop for themselves. Thank you to 2016 Holiday Adopter coordinator Maria Evangelista who worked tirelessly to ensure all of our families were matched to caring and generous “adopters” this season.
PROGRAM REACH AND THE SENATOR PHILIP D. LEWIS CENTER TEAM UP TO PROVIDE A SECOND CHANCE Introducing Robin and Savannah Rae, a Program REACH success story. Robin originally called the Lewis Center after being evicted and was forced to live out of her car. After coming in for an assessment, she was referred to Program REACH, Adopt-A-Family’s emergency shelter for families in crisis, where she was able to stay for 90 days. During her time at REACH, Robin was able to stay in a safe place with her daughter while she found a job to support herself and begin her search for a new place to call home. The family recently moved out of REACH into their own place through Adopt-A-Family’s Rapid Re-Housing program! Thank you to the Program REACH and Lewis Center teams for making this story a reality. Join us in wishing Robin and Savannah many successes in 2017.
GREAT CHARITY CHALLENGE WILD CARD SELECTION LEADS TO 2ND PLACE AAF FINISH! On February 4th, Adopt-A-Family went from a Wild Card selection during the Great Charity Challenge draw to a second place finish in this year’s special competition, resulting in a $125,000 donation to the agency! We are humbled and honored to have been selected and represented by such a talented team of riders. Special thanks to Sydney Shulman, Lilli Hymowitz, and Hannah Patten for your amazing team performance. In addition to the special GCC results, The Ziegler Family Foundation awarded Adopt-A-Family a $5,000 grant in support of our work as a chosen charity through the Grand Prix Society. The Great Charity Challenge has contributed more than $10 million in philanthropic donations to more than 200 charities since the event’s inception in 2010. We cannot thank the sponsors, the Winter Equestrian Festival, our team, and all involved with the Great Charity Challenge enough for creating such a special day of philanthropic impact for Palm Beach County charities!
CHECK OUT OUR NEW WEBSITE! This December, Adopt-A-Family finalized an innovative website redesign project. The new site prioritizes missionfocused content, streamlined messaging, and client success stories so you will stay better informed on our work. You can see the new site by visiting us at adoptafamilypbc.org.
IMPACT CORNER In the past year, Adopt-A-Family provided
VITAL SERVICES TO 2,167 FAMILIES while ending or preventing an episode of homelessness for 635 FAMILIES.
SAVE THE DATES:
• 6th Annual Better • Great Give 2017 – Ball Invitational May 17, 2017 May 4, 2017
Find the most up-to-date information on both of these events by visiting us on our website – adoptafamilypbc.org.
Adopt-A-Family of the Palm Beaches, Inc. 1712 Second Avenue North Lake Worth, FL 33460-3210 Phone: (561) 253-1361 www.adoptafamilypbc.org Please remember Adopt-A-Family in your will.
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Who We Help
• Families experiencing homelessness. • Income–challenged, working families at risk of becoming homeless • Children ages Kindergarten–5th grade in need of quality after–school activities
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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