OCTOBER 2014

Big things are happening at BFF! We now have close to 90 students in our programs ranging from elementary school through college. We are approaching our 5 year anniversary and are growing and expanding like never before. In this newsletter you can read all about our new board members, an exciting scholarship named in honor of BFF, news regarding a huge collaborative grant, and much more!  


Only thirty agencies were selected to receive the AT&T Aspire grant out of eleven hundred applicants. We are very proud and excited that our program, Grounded for Life, was one of those chosen. The two year, $300,000 grant was written in collaboration with ChildNet, our county's lead agency for child welfare. It will allow us to have a tremendous impact on foster youth in Palm Beach County. We have been working diligently to assemble a team and to strategize as we expand and begin Grounded for Life. This grant provides national exposure, and with that comes the potential for replication of our program throughout the country. Imagine foster youth all over America having the same educational opportunities as all other children! 

B-LINKED
As part of our Grounded for Life, AT&T grant funded program, 50 of our high school students will receive an iPhone with a service plan. The program is called
B-Linked, and we will now be able to communicate with our students between weekly face-to-face sessions. They may receive a "Link-Wink" when they do something great, a "Think Link" which will be a word or quote of the day, or a "Link-Line", a resource or organizational tip. We can remind students of an upcoming test, a book they have to read, or congratulate them on a job well done. The goal of the program is to see improved academic progress and more engaged students with consistent and ongoing communication.
B-Linked = B-Successful!
  

BOARD MEMBER
Lorraine Cross presented a valuable training to our entire team on implementing strategies to better help our students with problem solving skills. We thank her and welcome new Board Members, J.C. Perrin, Steven Jackson and Brett Centerbar. We look forward to a great year with their leadership. Learn more about our new board members.

ST. THOMAS LAW SCHOOL is our newest partner. Together we surprised Chris by giving him the first law school scholarship for youth formerly in foster care. St. Thomas Law School surprised us by naming the scholarship The Best Foot Forward Scholarship.This is a game changer for all foster youth in our area! Click here for more pictures.

hosted our Sponsor Appreciation Cocktail Party this past month. Our programs grow and expand in large part due to financial support from community businesses, local foundations and families. We are so fortunate to have such great partners! Click here for a full list of sponsors. Click here for more pictures. 


WHAT'S GOING ON...
Have a Friend-raiser for BFF! A great way to be a part of BFF and help us expand our reach and raise funds is to hold a "friend-raiser." Invite a few of your friends and neighbors over for a breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea or dessert and coffee. BFF will come do a presentation spotlighting our programs and how we are changing lives. The more people who know about BFF, the more students we can help! Contact Donna for more information at 561-470-8300 or [email protected].   

THANKS-FOR-GIVING is our annual campaign to raise funds that support our programs. Donations can be designated to a specific area like birthday gifts, graduations, tutoring, or college students, or they can be designated to general program support. every donation is needed and appreciated.  Click here for more details or to make a donation.  
Bloomingdale's will be hosting an Ippolita Trunk Show 
to benefit BFF. December 5 from 11-2- Hope to see you there!

Join us for a wonderful event.  Contact Donna for more information at 561-470-8300 or
[email protected]. 
BUSY BODY will be holding their 4th annual Thanksgiving Zumba and Spin classes to benefit BFF. It is a great way to get some exercise and fun in before your big Thanksgiving dinner. Contact Donna for more information at 561-470-8300 or [email protected]. 

WE NEED TUTORS! Math, English, Science...and may we repeat math! From Boca Raton to Wellington to Palm Beach Gardens, our students are at all different schools with all different needs. Please contact Debbie for more information at 561-470-8300 or [email protected]
SAVE the DATE! 4/10/15
Planning is now underway for our big fundraising event. Would you like to help out? We would love to have you! Call us at 561-470-8300.
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