Dear Friends,

As we come to the close of our fiscal year, we reflect on the continued support from our community. Through the challenging times to our successes, your unwavering commitment to the Children’s Shelter has been humbling. We thank you for lifting us up and cheering us on each and every day.

Because of you, nearly 500 at-risk children and families in the Florida Keys and Key West had a safe place to stay and a hot meal, or the counseling and resources they needed to get through a crisis or the guidance and encouragement to get off the streets and make a better life for themselves. On behalf of them and our committed team of professionals, thank you for your generous contributions and partnership.

We recently helped Ralph a high school senior graduate on time who was headed down the wrong path. He was referred to our Community Based Counseling program for truancy and a narcotics arrest – possession and under the influence. When we met him, he was scared and worried he wouldn’t graduate high school because of failing grades and now the new drug citation. We met with him weekly at school and worked with him to make a plan for graduation. The plan was for Ralph to attend school daily, no more absences, make up all class work by staying after school three times per week, complete extra coursework online, make up or repeat tests and saying “no” to drugs. We worked closely with his teachers and family and used motivational techniques, supportive counseling skills, encouragement and positive reinforcement with Ralph so that he grew confidence that he could do it. Today he is drug free and is graduating with his senior class on time! He is also applying for grants so that he can attend Florida Keys Community College to become a professional.

Every day, your support makes stories like Ralph’s possible.

Today, we are launching our Fiscal Year-End Campaign. Our goal is to give an additional 100 boys and girls the tools to live a full, safe life. You see, even though we helped nearly 500 people this year, there are still almost 200 youth in our community that need our help.

Our goal for this campaign is raise $25,000 by June 30th. Your gift is extremely important because it will offer immediate resources, like shelter, food, clothing, medical care and counseling, for 100 more kids in our community.

Would you be willing to make a special Fiscal Year-End donation of $50, $100, $200 or whatever you can afford to help us meet our goal and give 100 more kids the tools to live a full safe life?

Your donation is helping to make our community safer, stronger and healthier. Right here. Right now. Please click below to make your donation.

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Thank you so much for your help.

Ben Kemmer, Co-CEO, and William Mann, Co-CEO