Volume 2 Issue 1Winter/Spring 2014

Saturday, April 26, 20146:00 PM

Ritz-Carlton Golf Club

Purchase your TICKETS TODAY!

$250 per person, $350 per patron$2500 per table

www.FriendsofFosterChildren.net or call 239-262-1808

The 13th Annual Comedy Cabaret, held on December 7th at the Naples Beach Hotel, had over 200 guests in attendance. The night netted over $50,000 plus an additional $10,000 was donated to provide gifts for 80 local foster children from guests who purchased a child’s special Holiday Wish.

From the stage, emcees Chef Brian Roland and NBC 2 anchor, Krista Fogelsong, along with founding member of Friends of Foster Children, Les Schultzel, M.D., helped to stress the importance of the FFC mission.

Nationally known comedians, Ted Alexandro and Cory Kahaney, performed to help raise funds for the cause. Alexandro, a former school teacher, talked about some very witty experiences with the younger population - kids. Kahaney had attendees roaring as she talked about aging, her marriage and parenthood.

Jane Billings, Ted Alexandro - Comedian and Tiffany Billings

MissionFriends of Foster Children of Southwest Florida (FFC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide abused, neglected and abandoned children in Southwest Florida with the social, educational and financial support the state does not.

Make YourReservation To Attend!

IN THE NEWSRecent news stories are now posted on www.FriendsofFosterChildren.netBe sure to check them out!

• WatchtheWINKTVcoverageof GIFTOFGIVING

• Readallthedetailsofthe Preferred Travel SHOWCASE

• Viewphotosfromthe COMEDY CABARET

BRINGS LAUGHS ANDRAISES FUNDS

Comedian - Cory Kahaney with Dr. Les Schultzel and Karen Porter

Sonya and Brian Sawyer will serve as honorary chairs for the 7th Annual Boots & Boogie Bash. Sonya is the CFO for Home-Tech and Brian is with the Collier County Sheriff’s office. FFC is excited to have the Sawyer’s be part of this annual fundraiser.

Sarah Guite andJamie Young

Honorary Chairs for 2014Boots & Boogie Bash

Sonya and Brain Sawyer

From The Chair – Doug CampbellBoard of DirectorsDoug Campbell, Chair

Suzanne Meiners-Levy, Esq., Vice Chair

Dick Westfall, TreasurerSusan Erb, SecretaryRobert “Buck” Bowen

Kevin BrachleJim Derham

Alison K. Douglas, Esq.PJ Fuerstman-Meyer

Jim L. HendersonDavid Scott Madwar, MD

Walter SchachtMark R. Schwartz

Founding DirectorsStan Appelbaum

Les Schultzel, MD

Contact Us:2640 Golden Gate Parkway

Suite 112Naples, FL 34105

239-262-1808info@friendsoffosterchildren.netwww.friendsoffosterchildren.net

Programs Supported By:

Executive Director’s Message – Jane Billings

PHOTO BY JASON EASTERLY

Good things are happening for the children we serve! At Friends of Foster Children (FFC) for sure, but also in the state legislature, the court system and other agencies that provide services to at-risk children.At FFC, our tutoring program is being further embraced by the schools. Our tutors have always stuck with kids when they move within the foster care system.

We will now stay with them as they “age-out”(turn 18) or are reunified with their families. FFC’s expansion of Project Enrichment services to Hendry and Glades Counties continues. Our Collier County Judges are discussing a plan for unifying all family-related court cases so a family appears before the same judge for dependency, family, drug, truancy and similar hearings. Good will come of this!Our legislators, the DCF and their Community Based Care and Case Management contractors have a number of initiatives under way to improve child safety while working to keep families together. FFC continues to work with these agencies to involve trained volunteers to augment the resources in these areas to actually help keep kids out of the court system.The Guardian ad Litem Program is the shining example of how much trained volunteers can help children get through the dependency system as undamaged as possible. The legislature and governor are great supporters of the GAL program.As you all know, we don’t speak for anyone except FFC but, I am encouraged that the momentum for saving children seems to be very significant.Thanks for supporting FFC as we endeavor to make abused children’s lives more normal through programs not provided by anyone else.

Where does time go? It has been one year since I joined Friends of Foster Children (FFC) as Executive Director and we have seen the development of some very exciting new opportunities:With the support of Collier County Public Schools and the school principals, we are now tutoring at least half of our children in their classroom at school. This has many benefits including:

• Improvedcommunicationswiththechild’steacher.• FFCtutorscannowteachwiththesamecurriculumandlearningformatasused in class. • Thechildrennowhavemoretimeafterschoolandcanparticipate inthemany personal enrichment opportunities available with the support of FFC.

We are expanding our current tutoring program to become a more complete Academic Mentoring Program (AMP-UP). Our goal being to offer a continuum of educational care (including tutoring and mentoring) that will follow the child beyond the closure of their dependency case.Working together with key partners including Collier County Schools and Children’s Network of SWFL the goal will be to transition our children from elementary through middle school, to the highly successful Destination Graduation project offered in high school by Workforce Development. We need your support as we strive to become a constant academic presence in our children’s lives. We seek to be preventive and provide the help in the early years, when it is needed most. Please join us as we move forward and make 2014 a year where our children can begin to discover their individual potential.

Turn your tax-deductible auto donation into cash for abused children! Proceeds from

EVERYdonatedvehiclehelpfundFriendsofFoster Children www.nadkids.com

The 13th annual Gift of Giving shopping spree, made possible by Germain Automotive Partnership, allowed nearly 100 foster children to shop for Christmas gifts at Walmart on December 14th.

Foster children, between the ages of five and 18, received $100 each to shop for anyone they wanted, including parents, friends or teachers. And as a bonus, each child was given an additional $25 to purchase something for themselves. FFC arranged for the children to be part of the event and volunteers from the Rotary Club of Naples assisted each child with their shopping endeavors. After a morning of power shopping, everyone proceeded to Germain Toyota for lunch and gift wrapping. All in all, the day was exhausting but incredibly rewarding for everyone.

Gift of Giving

It’s not a bike! That’s what Daniel Weidenbruch and James say anyway

Anthony sees the perfect gift

Stan Appelbaum and Nicole Germain Greene

FFC held their inaugural Circle of Friends luncheon on February 25th at Bay Colony Golf Club to honor the extraordinary work of Stan Appelbaum and the Honorable Daniel R. Monaco.

The FFC story began in 1999, when the FFC founders, the Appelbaum’s and the Schultzel’s, sought to fill the gaps in the state system that served foster children by supporting a host of programs that included; tutoring, after school activities, summer camps and personal enrichment opportunities -- anything any “normal” child would have.

Dr. Les Schultzel, a Founding Director of FFC, paid tribute to Stan Appelbaum, recipient of the “Friend for a Lifetime” award, for his extraordinary volunteer contributions to benefit the lives of foster children.

The Honorable Hugh D. Hayes introduced the “Friend of Distinction” honoree, the Honorable Daniel R. Monaco.

Between 1998 and 2008, Judge Monaco presided over 300 adoptions in Collier County. Two of the FFC staff members began their families with adoptions facilitated by Judge Monaco and as a surprise to him, these children; Tiffany Billings and Alec Bieling, presented his award.

Circle of Friends Luncheon

Les Schultzel, Cathy and Stan Appelbaum, Honorable Daniel R. Monaco, Ann Monaco,

Honorable Hugh D. Hayes and Doug Campbell

Friends of Foster Children2640 Golden Gate Parkway, Suite 112Naples, FL 34105

PRESORTEDFIRST-CLASS MAIL

U.S. POSTAGE PAIDNAPLES, FL

PERMIT NO. 35

FFC received a $9,000 check from the Naples Woman’s

Club on February 26. The check presentation was made

possible by a fundraiser held by the Naples Woman’s

Club - The Kitchen Tour 2014. The event showcased

select exquisite kitchens located in prestigious Port

Royal homes. The event took place on January 22,

2014 and benefitted several local charities.

Naples Woman’s Club

Mark Schwartz – Friends of Foster Children (FFC) Board Member, Debra McInnis – Kitchen Tour Chair, Lee Kraus – Naples Woman’s Club President, Jane Billings – FFC Executive Director, and Doug Campbell –

FFC Board Chair

Preferred Travel of Naples President and CEO Wilma

Boyd selected FFC to be the beneficiary of their eighth

annual travel showcase - Explore the World. The event

was held on February 10th at The Club Pelican Bay. Each

year, Preferred Travel of Naples donates all proceeds from

the travel showcase to a charitable organization and this

year, more than $23,000 was raised for FFC.

Preferred Travel of Naples

Olga Placeres, Wilma Boyd, Jane Billings and Doug Campbell