Page 6 - Palm City Spotlight - January '24

Page 6, Palm City Spotlight

Holiday Happenings

New Online Drive, More
Sponsors Make It A Bright

Christmas For Children In
Foster Care

A boisterous “Yahoo!” rang out from behind a
makeshift desk full to brimming with toys, packages and
stacks of paperwork.
The 2023 Making Christmas Bright/Guardians for
New Futures Angel Program had just reached 100 percent
of children matched with toys – and Amparo Gomez, A mparo Gome z, t he
lovingly referred to as the Christmas Queen by her Christmas Queen for
volunteers and colleagues, was excited. CCKids’ Making Christmas Portia George, CCKids
“We did it!” she cried. “All children on the list are Bright Program, inspects family support worker, helps
taken care of!” toys collected from local case managers get toys to
The list in reference is long, composed of all children sponsors. their families.
in the Communities Connected for Kids’ (CCKids)
Circuit 19 dependency system and another 251 from the County, 123 were from Okeechobee County, and a
community – all told, 1,169 children. whopping 516 were from St. Lucie County, CCKids’
“It was an amazing year – one of the best,” said largest service area.
Christina Kaiser, community relations director for Many of those gifts were collected and delivered by
CCKids. The project, a partnership between CCKids and Rytech Restoration Services, which has donated its trucks
Guardians for New Futures, got a boost this year from an and drivers to the program for more than five years.
infusion of new sponsors and the addition of an online “It’s an enormous undertaking, but we get it done
toy drive. thanks to the leadership of Guardians for New Futures and
The online component alone, collected nearly 500 toys. the many, many groups and individuals in the community
“It was a last-minute addition, but it was an incredible who sponsor children,” Kaiser said. Keller Williams collected toys for 120 children in foster care.
success because it gave people who are homebound or
who prefer not to shop in stores the ability to contribute,”
Kaiser said.
Those toys were sent directly to CCKids service
centers to help fill the need for children who entered the
dependency system after individual toy-request forms
were turned in earlier in the fall.
New sponsors – 16 onboarded this year – also helped
the program reach its goal. “Keller Williams is a great
example,” Kaiser said. “They were new this year, but they
asked us to give them all remaining unmatched names.”
And they delivered on their commitment, she said.
“Their network of realtors provided three gifts for each
of the 120 children they sponsored.”
Of the more than 1,000 children who received gifts,
201 were from Indian River County, 78 were in Martin

good Works

Founding Friends Of

Treasure Coast Hospice To

Host

Let The Good Times Roll – Jazz In The EVERY SUNDAY
Roaring ’20s 9AM-2PM

Jan. 29 Fundraiser To Benefit Youth And Family
Grief Support Programs FLAGLER PARK
The Founding Friends of Treasure Coast Hospice
(FFOTCH) will host Let The Good Times Roll – Jazz
in The Roaring ’20s cocktail party on Monday, Jan. •FRESH PRODUCE
29, 6 p.m., at Harbour Ridge Yacht and Country Club •LIVE MUSIC
in Palm City. Proceeds from the event will benefit
Treasure Coast Hospice’s Youth and Family Grief •MOBILE CRAFT BAR
Support Programs. •KIDS MARKET
Guests will enjoy the elegance and flirtatious fun of
the Jazz Age and the Great Gatsby era as Harbour Ridge Operated by Stuart Main Street (First & third Sunday of every month)
is transformed into a dazzling Roaring ’20s saloon.
Let The Good Times Roll – Jazz in The Roaring ’20s
promises to be the cat’s meow with great food, libations, Fresh Local Produce & Honey
dancing to a jazz quartet, and excellent camaraderie in Organic Eggs, Beef, Seafood & Poultry
a cocktail party atmosphere, with seating available.
Since 1982, the Founding Friends of Treasure Coast Household Plants & Florals
Hospice’s dedicated group of volunteers has supported Homemade Cheeses
the Treasure Coast Hospice mission to provide access Spices & Sauces
to compassionate, caring, expert and professional Freshly Baked Breads & Tasty Treats
hospice and grief support services to patients and Pottery, Art & Home Décor
families at the end of life. The 200-plus members of
the Founding Friends continue to provide steadfast Handcrafted Jewelry & Accessories
support and service to the organization, raising more Pet Items BE A PART OF
than $4,740,000 over the years. SOMETHING
Tickets to Let the Good Times Roll – Jazz in the A market for growers, crafters, artists & other creators FRESH!
Roaring ’20s are $175 per person. Guests are encouraged
to dress in 1920s-inspired style or cocktail attire.
To R.S.V.P., visit www.TreasureHealth.org/ 772-285-0502 | stuartmainstreet.org/market
roaring20. Stuart Main Street is a 501c3 non-profit focused on promoting the Historic Downtown.