VERO BEACH — Representatives from the Grand Harbor community recently delivered holiday gifts for foster children and young adults served by Children’s Home Society of Florida programs and services in Indian River County. Each year Grand Harbor Club posts holiday gift “wish lists” on the tree in the clubhouse and residents step up to make many children’s holiday dreams come true.
In addition to the holiday gift drive, the Grand Harbor community has had a far-reaching impact on foster children served by Children’s Home Society, Treasure Coast Division. Over the past several years, grants provided by the Grand Harbor Community Outreach have supported Baines Hall, a girls’ group home that is located on the Vero Beach Campus.
The girls living at Baines Hall are between the ages of 12-17 and are in foster care through no fault of their own as a result of abuse, neglect and abandonment. All of the residents are either in school or in high school equivalency programs. Some have part-time jobs.
The grant from Grand Harbor Community Outreach helps to cover costs associated with essential needs that include school projects, special events, after school programs, and jobs. These are expenses that are not covered under the organization’s operating budget.
“The gifts from the Grand Harbor community will make it possible for foster children to fulfill their holiday wishes and the grants from Grand Harbor Community Outreach have made it possible for the girls living at Baines Hall to participate in activities that other teens participate in and embrace a feeling of normalcy,” explained Jan Swink, Executive Director of Children’s Home Society of Florida, Treasure Coast Division. “The Grand Harbor community has had a tremendous impact on enhancing the quality of life for foster children and improving the quality of the services that we provide.”
For more information about donations to support Children’s Home Society of Florida programs and services in Indian River County, contact Dee Benjamin, Development Specialist, at 772-778-6340 or Dee.Benjamin@chsfl.org.
For more information visit www.chsfl.org or call 772-344-4020.