Heidi Jordan – Executive Director for the Foundation for Foster Children was a featured panelist on WFTV Channel 9 -Spotlight on Central Florida.
This community news talk show is broadcast on Saturdays at 12:30pm hosted by Craig Patrick. The Foundation for Foster Children was highlighted in a segment titled “Solving Communities Problems”
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Robin Carjaval, One Voice for Children Co-Chair and member of the Orlando Junior Women’s Club presents a check to FFC.
Robin Carjaval, One Voice for Children Co-Chair and member of the Orlando Junior Women’s Club presents a check for $689.00 to the Foundation for Foster Childrens’ Executive Director, Heidi Jordan which will support summer camp scholarship for foster children who are looking forward to attending camps this summer.
The opportunity to be invited to present the mission and programs of the Foundation for Foster Children to the Orlando Junior Women’s Club membership during the past year and have the support provided from Florida Federation of Women’s Clubs ‘One Voice for Children’ demonstrates how working together can help create community awareness that builds on increasing opportunities that nurture and enrich the lives of children placed in foster care due to abuse and neglect so they are able to succeed both as individuals and contributing members of our community.
Thank you Orlando Junior Women’s Club! The Foundation for Foster Children is honored to have been selected as a recipient of your Club’s ‘Cheers to Charities’ annual charity fundraiser.
Our heartfelt gratitude is extended to our friends, staff and members of First Congregational Church of Winter Park for their kindness and the continuous support of the Foundation for Foster Children and to our local foster children through your generous contributions.
Most recently individuals donated through a special Fathers Day offering where gifts have totaled over $1000.00 to date to aide local foster children.
Every child in foster care has a story and on Father’s Day, Heidi Jordan shared a small piece of her personal story growing up in foster care. She mentioned examples of what impact adults made in her life – caregivers, coaches, teachers, and social workers. In particular her foster father Roger Clark made a significant impact as a positive ‘male role model’. “He was someone that took the time to help me focus on my talents and abilities… someone who helped build my self-confidence- strengthening my abilities to make better decisions,” says Jordan. “Dad always said that I could be whoever I wanted to be if I set my mind to it – He often quoted ‘Life is what you make it – what you put into it is what you get out of it’. That quote has always stuck with me through many of life’s challenges.”
First Congregational Church of Winter Park has been a kind and generous partner within the faith-based community. The acts and gifts that this church family has provided will directly impact a child in foster care where needed most, providing them with tutoring resources, enrichment and normalcy activities.
“We realize during these economic times it is very difficult for so many to make ends meet in our own families – and yet we are still blessed and want to find ways in which to help others”, said Jordan.The church youth have been involved in collecting items for the Adopt a Duffel program, and older youth performed an outreach ‘skit’ focusing on “Foster Care Transitioning” at a Sunday service. Resulting from this awareness, individuals and families collected for the Foundation for Foster Children House Warming Baskets Program where more than 20 foster youth aging-out will receive a house warming basket with supplies to begin a new journey in their lives.
In addition the Foundation for Foster Children in collaboration with the First Congregational Church of Winter Park, Orange Co. Legal Aide Guardian ad Litem and Intervention Services Inc. recently become involved in an extension of the program to develop and ‘pilot’ a Home Visitors Program.
The “Home Visitor Program” matches a youth who is transitioning out of foster care with a caring adult who provides guidance as that youth settles into his or her new home and life. This program offers a unique opportunity to help a youth successfully transition into adulthood. Participants gain personal satisfaction from knowing that a youth is learning and growing as a result of each home visit. To date 41 individuals have attended the Home Visitors Program orientation and informational sessions held at the church with 10 adults (Visitors) currently signed on and looking forward to meeting their ‘match’ (Host). Over 40 youth/young adults in the tri-county area have expressed an interest in being matched with a caring adult so there are more opportunities available.
The Foundation is most grateful and appreciates all of the support received from the First Congregational Church of Winter Park. We value the time, talent and resources that each person has openly given. Your personal commitment has been extraordinary.
COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECT
For more Information about the Foundation for Foster Children’s Home Visitors Program:
If you or your spouse/partner are looking for cause in which to engage in a meaningful community service project, then becoming a ‘Home Visitor’ may be the right opportunity for you. We are Individuals who are good listeners, can provide encouragement, who are flexible and patient, and can commit to a minimum of at least 6-visits within a period of 9 months. To find out more on how you can make an influential impact in a foster youth’s life, Please contact the Foundation for Foster Children for more information on how to become involved.
Speaking Engagements
A goal of the Foundation for Foster Children is to increase public awareness and support of the unmet needs for the over 1500 foster children residing in the tri-county area who are there through no fault of their own. One of the best ways the Foundation for Foster Children can accomplish this goal is through speaking engagements. The Foundation’s Executive Director, Heidi Jordan, can lend a personal perspective as she grew up in the foster care system and welcomes the opportunity to speak to your organization. She has presented to a variety of community groups including: civic and faith-based organizations, business associations, children s’ organizations, and schools to name a few.
Please contact the Foundation for Foster Children office at 407.422.4615 if your organization has a desire to learn more about local foster children or go to our website at www.foundationforfosterchildren.org
For the second year in a row, the Foundation for Foster Children is thrilled to be honored with a grant awarded by the Track Shack Foundation. The grant will to assist us in support of Fostering Success program requests for foster children who desire to participate in healthy interactive athletic activities and programs.
This season to date the Foundation for Foster Children has processed over 72 Fostering Success Grant applications for foster children to attend fitness programs, sports related camps, and help pay for athletic equipment and fees that foster children need in order to participate in community supported athletics.The Track Shack Foundation generous gift of has made a significant difference in the well-being and futures of our community’s abused and neglected children.
(L to R) Mary Rispoli- President CFWL, Heidi Jordan- Ex. Director FFC, Linda Cardilli- Charitable Granting & Service Committee Chairperson CFWL, Michelle Chira Carlton- Founder & President FFC The Foundation for Foster Children was a recipient of a charitable grant from the Central Florida’s Women’s’ League Foundation at a recent awards luncheon held in Isleworth. This grant will support Independent Living Transitions programs which assists older foster youth as they the transition from foster care to self-sufficiency and Fostering Success Grants’ which will provide foster children opportunities through the form of a mini-grants in order to participate in positive, healthy activities, whereas many of these abused and neglected children would not be able to experience otherwise.
Heidi Jordan, Exec. Director stated, “We are honored to be aligned with Central Florida Women’s League as one of the regions most recognized and respected philanthropic civic organizations. The partnership between the Foundation and CFWL allows us to reach out and share personal testaments’ of young lives being changed due to the charitable gifts of support received from our community through the League’s generous, committed and enduring efforts. The Foundation is most sincerely grateful for this generous gift. It will make a significant impact on improving the lives of our local foster children.”
The Central Florida Women’s League (CFWL), founded in 1988, and is a group of approximately 120 women committed to advancing opportunities for cultural, civic and charitable involvement in the Central Florida community. In the time the League has been in existence, each member has contributed to the growth and development of the group through personal involvement in cultural events, good citizenship, and fundraising efforts.
Linda Pellegrini and Michelle Chira Carlton
Central Florida Women’s League Sue Goodwin, Linda Cardilli and Mary Rispoli
During National Teacher Appreciation Week at Windermere Elementary School, Mrs. Ronat’s 5th grade students wanted to honor her in a special way. The students chose to do this through a special drive and collection of items to help foster children. Fifth grader, Jake Plummer, and his siblings – Vincent, Max and Isabella stopped by the Foundation for Foster Children’s office recently and donated large bags of items to support the Adopt- A-Duffel and House Warming Baskets programs.
Thank you so much Windermere Elementary School students, faculty and families! Mrs. Ronat, your kids honored you proudly!
For more information on how you or your group can help foster children collect donations for these two programs that focus on abused and neglected children entering the foster care system (Adopt A Duffel) and teens aging-out of care (House Warming Baskets), then please go to our Foundation for Foster Children Outreach section.
The goal of the Foundation for Foster Children is to provide educational and enrichment opportunities for foster children in order for them to learn, experience many of the same things all children need and deserve so they can be encouraged to dream and become who they are meant to be. One area in which children learn to dream and discover their talents is through reading. Therefore, the Foundation with the support of the community and volunteers has developed several ways in which to reach out to children with brand new books through “Book Fairs’.
When John Bishop quoted “Books, I found, had the power to make time stand still, retreat or fly into the future”, he contemplated that every child has the right to learn and experience the joy of opening a book into a whole new world.
Recently the Foundation for Foster Children hosted several book fairs – some within group homes and others in partnership with local case management organizations. Book options were numerous with selections available for all youth – for preschool readers and up to mid and high school reading levels. One child raced to find a traditional childhood favorite, The Tale of Peter Rabbit, as it was his personal favorite and brought back memories. Another youth was thrilled when she saw we carried several popular teen books such as the Twilight series.
Foundation for Foster Children Book Fairs provide new books to foster children so that they can practice their summer reading, but can also expand imaginations and create positive experiences. Many of these children do not own books of their very own, therefore these books are for them to keep and enjoy reading over again. We’d like to thank everyone who participated in the recent book fairs, especially to our community partner Borders Books, our Core Collaborators and our volunteers for their continued support. 
Youth gather around the books at the Youth & Family Alternatives Foster Parent BBQ and Foundation Book Fair
A “Book Fair” Thank You
On behalf of Friends of Children and Families, I just want to say thank you for the wonderful Book Fair that was provided for our kids. They truly enjoyed themselves, and were very grateful to receive the books. One of our staff reported that the kids were reading the books as she drove them to an appointment, and were excited about discussing the books with each other.
Thank you once again for the kindness and generosity that you showed to our kids.
Sincerely,
Donna Berry,
Clinical Director-Friends of Children and Families
May is National Foster Care Month and the Foundation has been very busy with events and outreach programs that bring attention to our mission of supporting neglected and abused children in central Florida. There are over 1500 foster youth in Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties, with between 40-60 new children coming into care each month. There are many ways in which the FFC seeks to provide support to our local foster youth.