THANKS to our Gift Drive Sponsors!
Our Holiday Gift Drive was a huge success!
Thanks to our generous sponsors, we were able to offer each resident in our program a great set of gifts: a rolling duffel bag, alarm clock, umbrella, handheld vacuum cleaner, and four gift cards (Old Navy, AMC movies, Chilis and Target). These special presents definitely brought holiday joy to our clients!
Many thanks to:
- The Schejola Akin Family
- The Casa Valentina Staff
- Christ Congregational Church Mission Outreach Committee
- Maggie Cruz-Ledon
- Barbara Davis
- Kathy Dunberg
- Colleen Fain
- Julie Feigeles
- Bruce H. Fleisher
- Dr. and Mrs. Mark Giovannetti
- The Heise Family
- Anne Helliwell
- Susan Holtzman
- Karen Kett
- Kiwanis Club of North Miami Beach/Sunny Isles Beach
- The Koffsky, Muller, Quint, and Warman Families
- Kristina Korge
- Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP
- Rosa Naccarato
- Jan Pollack
- Richard J. Preira
- Pursuit Miami
- Marta Millero-Quincoses
- Danielle Sayet & Janelle, Stephanie and Alex Isaia
- Sts. Peter & Paul School
- Faculty & Staff of St. Philips Episcopal School
- The Villaraos & Foote Families
A Great Thanksgiving Evening!
Casa Valentina residents, staff and Board of Directors members came together for our annual Thanksgiving celebration on Tuesday, November 26.
We thank Board member Lynn Hausmann, who hosted this festive gathering for the 8th year in a row…
It was a great evening for one and all!
Holiday Flashback: Halloween crafts!
Fall is full of fun holidays!
As Thankgiving memories are being made, we bring you some Halloween fun from our moms and babies…
They all had a great time decorating pumpkins!
Predictors of homelessness during the transition from foster care to independence
A recent report from the University of Chicago’s Chapin Hall research center aims to
identify which youth are most likely to become homeless when transitioning from
foster care.
The “Midwest Study” is a long-term longitudinal study of former foster youth in
Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin. It follows more than 700 participants from 2002, when
they aged out of foster care, through 2011, when they were 26 years old.
The study found that 36% of participants had experienced at least one episode of
homelessness by the age of 26 (defined as sleeping in “a place where people
weren’t meant to sleep”, sleeping in a homeless shelter, or not having a regular
residence).
Researchers identified six factors that were associated with an increased risk of
becoming homeless:
· Being male
· Having symptoms of a mental health disorder
· Experiencing multiple placements while in foster care
· Experiencing physical abuse before entering foster care
· Having run away at least once from a foster care placement
· Engaging in delinquent behaviors
The study findings paint a grim picture for youth aging out of foster care, and show
that much needs to be done to prevent them from becoming homeless.
For the full study, please click here:
