CBHC Success Stories
Land O’ Lakes Girl Donates Birthday Presents to Heart Gallery Children
When Julia Leck of Land O' Lakes celebrated her ninth birthday on Oct. 4, she knew she would be giving away her gifts and throwing in a few she bought herself to help children in need. The gifts that Julia received at her birthday party this year will be donated to the children of the Heart Gallery of Tampa Bay, the local office of a national organization that posts photo and video exhibits of foster children in need of adoption. "We are seeking forever homes for these children," said Melissa Twomey, spokeswoman of Heart Gallery of Tampa Bay. Julia said that she and her mother Sandra discussed donating the gifts she received at her birthday party this year to a charitable organization that helped kids in need. And after visiting the Heart Gallery Web site, Julia chose to give her presents to the foster children served by this agency. "I just saw that they needed help," Julia said. "I compared what I had and what they had and I wanted these kids to have some stuff, because they don't have anything." "So many people look back at the birthday parties they had as children and don't remember their gifts," Sandra Leck said. "This party is something she'll always remember. She'll remember that she helped someone." Twomey hopes that Julia's example will set a precedent for giving. "We want to start a Birthday Buddies program to ensure our children have presents on their birthdays," she said. "Julia is setting an example, to help us get the message out." To find out how to help Heart Gallery of Tampa Bay, visit www.heartgallerytampabay.org.
Bess the Book Bus Featured on CBS ‘The Early Show’
Bess the Book Bus, the mobile literacy program based in South Tampa that brings books to underprivileged kids, was featured on the CBS Early Show in May and again on Oct. 22 as Jennifer Francis took her mobile van on a cross country tour this year. See the video online (top link above) where she was presented with a brand new van on live TV on Oct. 22, and the feature on her in May (bottom link above). Francis also won for Bess the Book Bus free gasoline from Citgo for a year as part of Citgo’s national award program, “Fueling Good,” for deserving non-profits. See that story on You Tube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jGgpNDiFEE. The Children’s Board is one of Bess the Book Bus’ sponsors. For more information about Bess the Book Bus contact Francis at jenn@bessthebookbus.org.
Tampa Bay Academy of Hope
Click to View Tampa Bay Academy of Hope's "Celebrating Faces of Hope" Video.
Heart Gallery Siblings Find Adoptive Parents
As Gov. Charlie Crist announced a record-breaking adoption year in Florida on July 22, Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp, Department of Children and Families Suncoast Regional Director Nick Cox and Hillsborough Kids, Inc. Chief Executive Officer Jeff Rainey were on hand in Judge Katherine Essrig’s Tampa courtroom July 22 as she finalized the adoption of foster children by six families. A highlight was the Molina family’s adoption of a brother and sister, Kayle, 12, and Tyler, 8, who were promoted in the Heart Gallery of Tampa Bay’s touring photographic exhibit of adoptable children in foster care (http://heartgallerytampabay.org/). The Heart Gallery is funded by the Children’s Board of Hillsborough County and Hillsborough Kids, Inc. Crist said there were a record-breaking 3,776 adoptions of children through Florida’s public adoption system during the fiscal year ending June 30, 2009. This record follows the previous year’s record of 3,674 in 2007-08, up from 3,079 in 2006-07. The previous state adoption record was set in 2003-04 at 3,389. Additionally, also during the fiscal year ending June 30, Florida saw the fewest children entering foster care since 2003. As of July 1, 2009, there were 19,797 children in out-of-home care, down 32 percent (9,483 children) from 29,280 children in January 2007.
