FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Sita G. Harrison, Public Relations Director
The Alexis Agency
PR Consultant to Children's Home Society
(772) 532-5329
sita@thealexisagency.net
MARTIN COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT INTRODUCES
YOUTH TRANSITION CENTER
DR. SARA A. WILCOX HONORED WITH LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT FOR CHILDREN AWARD BY SENATOR KEN PRUITT AND SHERIFF ROBERT CROWDER
MAY 13, 2008, STUART, FL - Dr. Sara Wilcox hosted a Martin Community Leaders Reception to introduce the Children's Home Society of Florida, Youth Transition Center. The reception was held yesterday at the Stuart Learning Center, 1050 SE 10 th Street in Stuart, Florida from 4:00 P.M. - 5:00 P.M.
The Youth Transition Center is a new program being developed by the Children's Home Society of Florida. It will serve young adults who live in Martin, St. Lucie, Okeechobee, and Indian River Counties, ages 18-23, who have aged out of the foster care system. The center is designed to help these youth make a positive transition into adulthood. The residential facility is being built in Vero Beach, Florida on the site of the CHS Baines Hall, a residential program for young girls in the foster care system ages 13 to their 18 th birthday, who have been removed from their family due to abuse, neglect or abandonment.
Judy Weber, Children's Home Society Board Member, introduced Senate President Ken Pruitt who provided comments about the need for a program of this nature, and reiterated that is important to support a complete array of services for children who have been removed from their homes because of abuse and neglect. A $5 million capital campaign to build the Youth Transition Center is underway. As of today, the Children's Home Society of Florida is half way to meeting their goal. The center will be a natural extension to all the services CHS provides.
Senate President Ken Pruitt surprised and honored Dr. Sara A. Wilcox with the Children's Home Society of Florida
, Lifetime Achievement Award, for her many years of service and commitment to the education of ALL students in the Martin County School District. The Lifetime Achievement Award is a high honor given to Dr. Wilcox, thanking her for superior leadership. The award is the only award of its nature, given only to Dr. Sara A. Wilcox.
Sheriff Robert Crowder joined Senate President Ken Pruitt in the presentation of the Children's Home Society of Florida Lifetime Achievement Award to Dr. Wilcox, and provided special comments supporting the many accomplishments of Dr. Wilcox. Sheriff Crowder also provided strong support of the Children's Home Society of Florida, Youth Transition Center, and reiterated that 80% of youth who "age out" of foster care without a support plan are incarcerated.
Created in 1902 as a Jacksonville orphanage, Children's Home Society of Florida is now the oldest and largest statewide private not-for-profit provider of services to children and families in Florida. Committed to "
Embracing Children, Inspiring Lives," CHS has dramatically expanded its mission as a statewide multi-service organization, offering a full spectrum of social services, including foster care, adoption, child development, emergency shelters, residential group homes, independent and transitional living for teens and youth ages l8-23, parent education, treatment for developmentally disabled children and counseling, mentoring, and Life Coach programs for foster care children and youth.
For more information about Children's Home Society, please call Amanda McGee, Director of Development, at (772) 489-5601.
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