The Buggy Bunch celebrated faith and family at its annual dinner, set amid the blooming tropical flora and lush canopy of greenery at Rock City Gardens.
Over the past 15 years, the nonprofit has grown from a simple playgroup into a lifeline, serving more than 6,000 individuals annually. Today, it supports families through spiritual, educational and practical programming, including playgroups, Bible studies, support groups, a diaper closet, marriage seminars, fitness classes, and the Thriving Families program, which facilitates court-ordered supervised visitations at its Family Center in downtown Vero Beach.
“Your presence matters, your support matters, and what we are building together matters,” said board chair Sue Dean as she welcomed guests.
“Because of you, we are meeting real, practical needs in our community. Because of you, moms are finding support. Because of you, families are experiencing hope. You don’t just fund programs, you help create transformation.”
Dean explained that to meet the physical needs and spiritual growth of their participants, they offer mothers community, encouragement and hope.
“Tonight is about connection. It’s about the power of community to lift one another up. What we are building through this organization is more than programs. It’s belonging, it’s support, it’s faith in action,” she continued.
A letter written by board member Paul Westcott was read to honor his late wife Kim, a dedicated Buggy Bunch volunteer, in which he proclaimed how much the outpouring of support during her battle with cancer had meant to them.
“I hope that 15 years from now, the Buggy Bunch is still unmistakably the Buggy Bunch. Faith-rooted, relationship-driven, and centered on the belief that families were created for community, but the reach, the space and the depth of impact have grown in beautiful, intentional ways,” said executive director Tara Wright, after a lovely dinner catered by Wild Thyme Catering.
“Your presence here tonight matters. Your support matters. You are not just attending a dinner. You are part of a living tapestry that is changing lives and strengthening families for generations to come.”
Wright introduced two couples who shared how their lives had been forever changed by three little ones who had tragically lost their mother.
Brittany Yanoviak said she first discovered the Buggy Bunch as a “desperate” new mom seeking community. Years later, that connection led her to host children through a local crisis organization, when she was paired with a mother, Katie, and her three young boys.
Yanoviak later learned that Katie had been a Buggy Bunch mom for years, receiving diapers and prayers from the staff long before the families had ever met.
When Katie passed away in April 2024, the “village” didn’t scatter. Buggy Bunch staff member Calista Littleton and her husband, Paul, stepped in.
“We never planned to foster two children. We were scared and exhausted. But we knew we had support from the families who had loved these boys before us, and from the Buggy Bunch,” said Calista, adding that they adopted the boys in December 2025.
Serendipitously, Calista said her brother-in-law and his wife were fostering the third sibling, making the trio both brothers and cousins. “God wove multiple families into one story,” she added.
Board member Justin Miller reminded the audience that while material support is essential, the Gospel is what transforms families from the inside out.
“Strong families are the cornerstone of a strong community,” Miller said, inviting everyone to consider monthly support for local mothers in need.
For more information, visit TheBuggyBunch.com.
Photos by Joshua Kodis
