For the past two years, I’ve had the pleasure of serving on the Board of Florida Foster Care Review, a nonprofit which ensures every child in our community’s foster care system has access to a nurturing family, a safe place to call home, and the support they need to reach their potential – be it succeeding in school, finding a job, accessing healthcare, or even going to college.
My involvement with FFCR has afforded me an inside look at Florida’s foster care system. I wish I could report that the system is on solid ground, but the reality is that foster children and the infrastructure designed to support them have been disproportionally affected by the pandemic. Dependency courts have become backlogged, caseworkers are unable to meet with foster care families in-person and many have left their positions altogether, and foster children are struggling with virtual learning and the challenges that come with social distancing and isolation.
Undeterred by these challenges, Florida Foster Care Review quickly pivoted to a virtual format that ensured every abused and neglected foster child in our community would continue to receive the services and care they needed to get through the pandemic. Today, I’m proud to report that we haven’t missed a beat over the past 18 months!
Meeting the needs of foster children and filling gaps in the system is no small task, and we can’t do it alone. FFCR depends on corporate sponsorships, grants, and individual donations to advance its mission and, as you might imagine, raising money during a historic pandemic is not for the faint of heart!
Last year, COVID-19 forced us to cancel our signature “Claws for Kids” fundraising event held each November at Joe’s Stone Crab. This year, Claws for Kids is coming back – with two formats that can be customized for any couple, family, group of friends, or company.
- Option #1 – Claws for Kids @ Joe’s, November 8, 2021: Join us at Joe’s Stone Crab for everyone’s favorite luncheon on November 8th from 11:30am – 2:00pm and enjoy your favorites from Joe’s menu along with a raffle and a host of prizes.
- Option #2 – Claws for Kids @ Home or Office: If you prefer to bring the party in-house to your home or office, our Claws for Kids @ Home or @ Office packages will allow guests to savor Joe’s where and when it’s convenient for them.
Our firm has been sponsoring Claws for Kids going back a decade, and we’re proud to be supporting the cause once again in 2021. We hope you’ll consider joining us in getting behind Florida Foster Care Review and the critical services that it provides.
And if you’re able to make it to Joe’s this year, please be sure to save some key lime pie for us!
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