On December 7, Voices For Children Foundation and Marlin’s Ayudan joined forces to make this holiday season a little brighter for youth who have aged out or are aging out of Foster Care. Volunteers surprised these teens with a $500 shopping spree at Target in Midtown, acting as their personal shopping assistants, helping them select appropriate items.

As these youth transition into adulthood, they encounter many challenges, including finding new living arrangements, becoming financially responsible and adjusting to the emotional weight of becoming an independent individual. Most of the time these children lack the family support available to other adolescents, leaving them on their own to learn how to manage adult responsibilities like work, housing, relationships and self sufficiency.

In addition to picking out brand new items for the very first time, this event provided these adolescents an opportunity to bond with an adult in a positive, fun way.

This experience also made a difference in the lives of the Volunteers, who spent all day giving back to the community through the “Marlins Ayudan” front office community service program. After carefully selecting items he needed, one of the participating youth arrived at the checkout counter beaming with excitement from his shopping spree. With his goodies all rung up, the cashier notified him that he had $20 left and asked if there was anything else he wished to add to his cart. “I’ll be right back,” he replied, “I’m going to go get a gift card.” A few minutes later, he returned, not with the gift card everyone expected, but with a Thank You greeting Card for the team of volunteers who spent the time with him.

“We are extremely grateful to the Marlins organization and employees for their generosity,” said Nelson F. Hincapie, Voices For Children’s President & CEO. “These children are among the most at-risk in the Foster Care system, this has made a tremendous difference in their lives”.

For more photos from the event, visit our Facebook Page here: http://on.fb.me/Vip8Ac

THANK YOU MIAMI MARLINS FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT!

Miami, FL - August 9, 2012 - Members of the Miami-Dade community are coming together to demonstrate teamwork and help about 500 children in Foster Care get ready for the new school year. Thanks to a partnership with Old Navy and the Office Depot Foundation, these children and their families will get the chance to shop privately like celebrities at the Old Navy in the Shoppes at Dadeland location, which will close to the public just for this event. Children will receive $75 in new school uniforms as well as sackpacks with some school supplies.

Inspired 2 in collaboration with the Zoological Society of Florida has donated 2 Family Annual Passes to Zoo Miami to be raffled off to two lucky families in support of providing a positive, safe and educational environment where families can strengthen their bond.

Foster Children who are part of the Guardian ad Litem’s Kinship Care Program and the Transitioning Youth Project will begin arriving at 6pm with their families, where they will be greeted by volunteers and staff from Old Navy for check-in. Delicious snacks will be provided by Lime Fresh Mexican Grill and Elevation Burger for the more than 800 individuals expected to turn out for this event.

“We strongly believe that it takes a community’s effort to help children break the cycle of abuse & neglect,” says Nelson Hincapie, President & CEO of Voices For Children Foundation. “We are thrilled that members of our community have stepped forward for our event to help these students start off the school year with pride and confidence.”

Last year was a tremendous success and Voices For Children Foundation provided 350 children with new uniforms, sackpacks and school supplies collected by event organizers.

This year the need is greater.

The Transitioning Youth Project works to ensure youth leaving the Foster Care system have the adult relationships, education and skills they need to become successful adults. The Kinship Care Project, where children are placed with family members rather than licensed foster homes, works to ensure these families receive appropriate services like access to financial assistance, educational support and medical resources. However, sometimes it just isn’t enough.

“There are numerous benefits to placing a child with a Family member after being removed from their parent’s care,” says Dorothy Marin, Children’s Needs Program Manager with Voices For Children Foundation, “But it remains a financial challenge for these families to take on this responsibility when they are already at, or below poverty level. We are thankful for our community partners that allow us to relieve some of the financial burden on these families during an already stressful time.”

The event will take place on August 15, 2012, from 6pm-9pm at the Old Navy at 7220 N Kendall Drive; Miami, FL 33156. Guests are pre-registered and the event is not open to the public.

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Voices For Children Foundation is a not for profit organization that raises funds to ensure that every abused, abandoned, and neglected child in Miami-Dade County has a court appointed Guardian ad Litem and that financial assistance and other resources are available for their accompanying health, educational, and social needs. Guardians ad Litem are trained, court-appointed adults who serve as the representative voice for abused, abandoned, and neglected children involved in dependency court proceedings. There are over 3,000 children in Miami-Dade County’s Foster Care system and currently 1,184 children are unrepresented by Guardians ad Litem.

For more information please visit www.BeAVoice.org.

We need your help! Click below to show your support today!

]]> http://voices4.org/blog/community-comes-together-to-get-500-children-in-foster-care-ready-for-the-new-school-year/feed/ http://voices4.org/blog/back-to-school/ http://voices4.org/blog/back-to-school/#comments Wed, 01 Aug 2012 13:01:03 +0000 admin http://voices4.org/?p=1830

Click Here to check out last year’s amazing event

Music, Food, Fun & Bowling to benefit Voices For Children Foundation. Gather your friends and family for an exciting night at Splitsville Lanes in Sunset Place and show off your bowling & billiards skills for a good cause!

Bowling: $400 Team / 8 Players
Individual Bowlers*: $50 each Player

Billiards: $100 Team / 2 Players
Individual Billiards Player*: $50 each Player

Individual Bowler & Billiards Player: $75 each Player

*Individual Players will be grouped with teams.

WHEN: Wednesday September 19, 2012 - 6:00 – 10:00 P.M.

WHERE: Splitsville Lanes , Sunset Place

Register Online Here

INFO: For more information please contact:

Tania Rodriguez; trodriguez@voices4.org, 305.324.5678, ext. 16

]]> http://voices4.org/blog/bowling-at-splitsville-south-miami/feed/ http://voices4.org/blog/2nd-be-a-voice-soccer-tournament/ http://voices4.org/blog/2nd-be-a-voice-soccer-tournament/#comments Tue, 21 Jun 2011 16:37:53 +0000 admin http://voices4.org/?p=1637  

Please join us at Baru Urbano this Thursday from 6pm to 10pm to celebrate the upcoming 2^nd Be A Voice Soccer Tournament.

1001 South Miami Avenue.  Help us Kick Child Abuse by enjoying $5 well drinks, with 100% of the proceeds benefiting Voices For Children Foundation.

Voices is doing it again! Presented by Global Development Consultants, Voices For Children is hosting its 2nd Be A Voice Soccer Tournament on Saturday & Sunday, June 25-26, 2011. Join Voices For Children from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. each day and enjoy an exciting weekend of soccer-mania. Come with your family and learn about how you can BE A VOICE for an abused, abandoned or neglected child. Currently there are approximately 3,000 children in Miami-Dade County who are in foster care.  Admission to the tournament is free.

Create a team with your colleagues, friends or family, and together we can help KICK CHILD ABUSE TO THE CURB.

If you are interested in forming a soccer team:

Team Cost: $1,000 per Team
Team consists of 8 people
Cost includes team uniform with logo or name of sponsor on the uniform and food.

Photos from our 1st Be A Voice Soccer Tournament can be found on Voices’ Shutterfly page.

The 2nd Be A Voice Soccer Tournament is Presented by:

Global Development Consultants, Inc. is a consulting company dedicated to the development of urban housing, real estate, design, construction, financing, development and promotion of housing developments.

Our company has an agreement with the City of Miami, FL, the city of Port-au-Prince in Haiti, and in Cundinamarca, Columbia, for the construction of affordable and accessible housing for low income families, made from recycle materials.

Global DC staff has 40 years of development and more than 100,000 houses built, as well as office, hotels, and Commercial projects.

The combined years of experience of Global Development Consultants Inc.’s core team provides the necessary capabilities and management skills to successfully execute on their vision of delivering a project provide business, social, economic and environmental benefits.

And in partnership with 

 Click here to Register  (REGISTRATION FORM)

Click here to see Event Flyer (EVENT FLYER)

For more information or to sign up, please contact:
Name: Julian Otero
Phone: 305-726-4032
Email: oterojulian@hotmail.com

For sponsorship opportunities, please contact:

Name: Nelson Hincapie

Phone: 305-281-4473
Email: nhincapie@voices4.org 

On Wednesday, December 7th, 2011  you have the opportunity to help strike out child abuse.  Join Voices for Children on June 1 from 6:00-10:00pm for a game of bowling and to learn more about how you can BE A VOICE for an abused, abandoned or neglected child. Currently there are approximately 3,000 children in Miami-Dade County who are in foster care.  Your participation in this event could make all the difference.

Create a team with your colleagues, friends or family, and together we can help STRIKE OUT CHILD ABUSE in Miami.

Cost: $400 per Team
Team consists of 8 people
Cost includes one game of bowling, shoes, tons food and a complimentary drink. There will also be a cash bar available.

Love to bowl and want to support the cause, but can’t get together 8 folks? No problem! For a donation of $50 we will pair you with other enthusiasts.

Click here to Register  (REGISTRATION FORM)

For more information or to sign up, please contact:
Name: Ingrid McClung
Phone: 305-324-5678 Email: imcclung@voices4.org

Splitsville Lanes, 5701 Sunset Drive, Miami, FL 33143

By becoming an ACE- an Advocate for Children’s Education – you will have the opportunity to work with children who are between the ages of 5 and 18, all of whom are currently within the Foster Care system of Miami-Dade County.  The children vary in grade level, IQ, and learning/language impairment.  All are currently enrolled in school, but in need of extra academic support.

In tutoring and interacting with children in the community, ACE’s demonstrate a strong desire to contribute to the academic advancement of at-risk youth, and feel comfortable acting as a positive role model, possess compassion and have a sense of humor.

Applying to Become an ACE

ACE’s are asked to donate a minimum of one hour per week to affect change for a student that will last a lifetime. 

North Dade Hours*: Monday thru Friday, between the hours of 8AM and 6PM**

South Dade Hours*: Monday thru Friday, between the hours of 4PM and 7PM

Apply here or request an application form by mail.

Questions?

Please e-mail empowerastudent@voices4.org to facilitate scheduling.

*subject to change during summer months
** With the exception of the following:

K5- 2nd Grade Monday - Friday, 11:00-11:30AM (lunchtime)
Tuesdays, 8:00-9:30AM
3rd- 4th Grade Monday - Friday, 11:00AM-11:30PM (lunchtime)
Wednesdays, 8:00-9:30AM
5th-6th Grade Monday - Friday, 11:30AM-12:30PM (lunchtime)
Wednesdays, 8:00-9:30AM
7th-8th Grade Monday - Friday, 12:00-12:30PM (lunchtime)
Tuesdays, 9:00-10:30AM

Artist Carlos Rodriguez reviews sketching technique with youth at painting workshop	Shawn Marion distributes holiday gifts to foster kids
Teen warms up on the court with Miami HEAT	Artist Terje Lundaas teaches foster youth glassblowing process during glass art workshop

In 2007, Voices also added life skills workshops, offered exclusively for our youth preparing to transition out of foster care. These education workshops teach participants about nutritious foods, budgeting, cooking, meal planning for the hurricane season, how to prepare for emergencies, job interview skills, etc. and are geared towards young adults who, more often than not, have been in the child welfare system since a very young age, and will soon be living on their own.

If you have any ideas for future workshops or would like to get involved with our current Children’s Needs projects, please contact Dorothy Marin at 305.324.5678 or dmarin@voices4.org.

We currently have 2,600 children in foster care who need your help.  And by the end of the day, at least two more children will be removed from their home due to abuse, abandonment, or neglect.

DONATE NOW! Your contribution has an extraordinary purpose! You can be that one, big difference in the life of an abused child by supporting our efforts to provide advocacy to children through the Guardian Ad Litem Program as well as help us meet their social, educational, and medical needs.

SIGN UP TO BE A VOLUNTEER. You can be the hero in the life of a child. By becoming a Guardian Ad Litem volunteer, you will ensure that at least one child has a voice in court and that their best interests are being preserved.

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