Welcome Home

SOS Children’s Villages – Florida, a foster care community in Broward County, held its annual Hope and Home Gala at Boca West Country Club in Boca Raton to raise funds to provide foster children an environment that is safe, stable and loving.

Honorary chair Wanda Moran and gala chairs Marti White and Aubrey Zeigler helped raise close to $500,000. 

“The money raised from this event is critical [in] providing for the needs of our children,” says Jillian Smath, executive director, SOS. “When a child or group of siblings come to us, they have basically the clothes on their backs and maybe a few personal items. When a child arrives at SOS, this is when the healing begins. We provide tutoring, therapy and essential life skills. We give children the life every child deserves.”

The event was presented by Celebrity Cruises and Newell Brands. Other sponsors included Aetna, JM Family Enterprises, CMAA, Holman Automotive Group, Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital, Bluegreen Vacations, Seminole Casino Coconut Creek and Republic National.

SOS is the largest foster care provider in Broward County, serving an average of 68 children on any given day. The children, ranging from infants to 18 years old, all have a history of abuse, neglect or abandonment. One of the nonprofit’s unique features since opening in 1993 is the ability to keep siblings together.

The community’s 13 family-style homes around a cul-de-sac in Coconut Creek are each staffed by a full-time, live-in houseparent, and SOS offers an array of support services and enrichment opportunities that allow children to heal and grow into productive adults. O

For more information, visit sosflorida.com.