There's big news at SOS this Spring. A renovation that will make our old homes new again and make way for a new SOS home is right around the corner!

Home is at the heart of everything we give our kids - someplace safe, someplace warm, someplace where they can settle in and call their own while in foster care. Our campus is critical to the care and services we provide and we have some very special friends preparing to make a huge investment in our family that will impact us for years to come.

This spring, we will begin a year-long renovation of 14 of our buildings.

Renovating Step By Step The first phase of the project will move our administrative staff off-site to new offices in Coconut Creek and remodel our current administrative building.

Once complete, our program building will be renovated into a new home for children. One by one, each family will move in and their old home will be updated with new floors, fixtures, furniture and appliances. The cycle will continue and, by next year, each of our families will have a fresh, new home and we'll even have room for six more children!

While We're Working....While our renovations are underway, we'll be working hard to keep disruptions to our entire family to a minimum. As a member of our extended family, your support is just as important to us as ever. Please be sure to contact us before delivering donations or visiting the Village. And, watch for updates about how you can help with our new homes.

Spring 2014

Phone: 954-420-5030 Fax: 954-420-5034 www.sosflorida.com

Counting Down To A New SOS Home

Also In This IssueHonoring Our Chairman's CirclePage 2

Send An SOS Child to CampPage 3 & 4

Mentoring at SOSPage 5

Hope & Home Gala Page 6

Every day, your investment in our boys and girls changes their lives. Whether it's the simplicity of sitting down at the dinner table or a crucial service such as therapy to help them overcome the painful memories of what they have already experienced in their short lives, SOS children thrive because you care.

Honoring CommitmentIn more than two decades of raising foster children, our Village has welcomed hundreds of friends who give their time and dollars and return year after year to continue being a part of our family.

To recognize the impactful, and often, long-term investments of these friends, January 2014 marked the inaugural year of a new SOS giving society - "The Chairman's Circle."

Members of this special circle are individuals and groups who have made a significant investment in our boys and girls of $10,000 or more. Their dedication ensures that we can fulfill the SOS promise of healing, hope and home for every child, now and in the future.

The Impact of An InvestmentKelvin (pictured below) moved to the Village at the age of 12. He had already been in the foster system for four years and wanted a good home and family more than anything. Shelters and other group homes gave him the basics, but not much else. Things turned around for him when he arrived at SOS and he discovered a parent who cared and a family that would motivate him to do better and succeed.

It was his SOS "father" who taught him to cook, a basic life skill every Village child must master. It ignited a passion that has grown into a full-fledged career.

Today Kelvin is 24 and has completed the culinary program at Atlantic Tech. He's supporting himself with jobs at two restaurants while completing plans to become a chef for a major cruise line.

And it all started because he had a Village behind him.

Visit sosflorida.com to find out more about the Chairman's Circle and our inaugural members.

Investments That Create Lifetimes

Pictured Above: Jay & Sharon DiPietro representing the Club Manager's Association; SOS President & CEO Keith DuVernay with founder Estella Moriarty and Board Chair Nick Catania; Cindi and Larry Kashdin

Pictured at Right: SOS Alumnus Kelvin Burnette shared his story at the Chairman's Circle Reception; Liz Guimaraes and Larry Glasser from RIMS Broward County

I will help send an SOS Child to Summer Camp!

You can help our kids get to camp this year by making a camp pledge.

• $10 a month will provide sunscreen, sunglasses and lip balm for one house of children

• $25 a month will send a child to camp for two weeks

• $50 a month will send a child to camp for four weeks

• $100 a month send a child to camp for the entire summer

Camp Wish ListRather donate some summer basics? Each of our 75 boys and girls need water bottles, sunscreen, lip balm,dufflebags,beachtowelsandbugsprayallsummer long. Donated items can be delivered to the SOSofficeduringbusinesshours.

Name(s) ______________________________________________________

Address ______________________________________________________

City/Zip _______________________________________________________

Phone ______________________ E-mail ___________________________

Checks may be made payable to: SOS Children’s Villages - FloridaPlease charge my VISA MC Amex Discover

Card # _____________________________ CCV ________ Exp _________

Signature_____________________________________________________

My Gift□ $100 □$50 □$25

□$10 □ $ ______

□ Make my gift a monthly donation to keep helping an SOS child all year long.*

*Monthly pledges will be charged to the credit card you have provided or reminders will be sent to pay by check.

Summer Camp IsMore Than Fun in the Sun

How To Send A Foster ChildTo Summer Camp

Donations can also be made at sosflorida.com or by calling 954-420-5030

For an SOS foster child, summer camp is more than a rite of passage or an opportunity to feel that once-elusive sense of normalcy - it’s crucial to their growth and success.

Of course there’s the obvious reasons... the kids get plenty of physical exercise, they’re “unplugged” and playing outside and having fun. But it’s no secret our kids need an extra special boost and camp is a place to extend the life skills and support you help us provide every day.

Even the American Camp Association agrees that the structure and activities at camp help children develop more social skills that help them make new friends, grow more independent, show more leadership qualities and become more adventurous and willing to try new things with as little as one week at camp.

And, it’s no secret that teens are likely to take risks in order to assert their growing independence. Camp experiences create meaningful opportunities for positive risk taking. Why is this so important? Trying new things and exploring new opportunitiessatisfiestheirdesireforself-discoveryandnewexperiences without turning to negative risks like drinking, drug use and early sexual behavior.

Nowthat’saterrificsummerinvestment!

With the support of our friends, our boys and girls have some amazing summer camp experiences. Many have been lucky enough to enjoy sleep away camp at YMCA’s Camp Wewa in Central Florida thanks to the Boca West Foundation & SCOPE. The kids love the excitement of going away for a week and there’s always something extra magical about their time there.

Last year was especially poignant for one of our girls and the camp counselors who shared their very special story with us.

Little Olive and her half sister Vanessa are a part of the SOS group that came in. The two of them had a situation where their parents had passed (away). They’re supposed to move in with their family in England soon.

When the two of them were picked up their group leaders told them that they were approved to stay with family in Coral Gables until they move. Olive and Vanessa were so excited to the point of tears and Olive just sat their clutching her wishboat from Thursday night’s ceremony repeating over and over again how this is what she had wished for on her boat, how camp was such a magical place in so many ways and how she had to come back next summer.

Just a little reminder of how important of a place and how loving of a place camp is to the kids and how magical it can be for them.

All of our boys and girls are looking forward to camp this year and hoping friends like you will help them get there.

The Magic of a Week at Wewa

The wishboat ceremony at WEWA is special to our kids who have so much to wish for.

For the Asofskys, volunteering is a family affair. Active volunteers w i t h s e v e r a l c o m m u n i t y organizations, Mark, Madaline,

Haley and Jacob chose SOS because they could be side by side with children and see thembenefitingfromtheirtimeandcare.

“The minute we drove into the Village in 2009, we knew we wanted to help make a difference in the lives of children,” said Mark of the Asofsky Family Foundation.

Wife Madaline shares her passion for cake decorating with the boys and girls. Each month, the children celebrating birthdays select a cake design they would like and Madaline, daughter Haley and other friends

come to help the kids personally decorate their cake. The boys and girls get very excited to have something of their own that they created and also to share their yummy creation with their SOS family.

Most recently, Jacob completed his Bar Mitzvah project, an ultimate gaming day that transformed our community center into an arcade with game consoles, pinball machines and more.

ForthepastfiveyearstheAsofsky’shaveawarded generous grants for our children to attend summer camp. They also opened their home to host our Gala Kick Off party in 2013.

We thank the Asofsky Family for their passionate commitment to our children.

Making Giving a Family Activity

Volunteering is a great way to bring family together while helping our kids. For more info, contact Genevieve at gareson@sosflorida.com or 954-420-5030 x 220.

“I just wanted to make one person’s life better...I didn’t know what to expect.”

That’s what volunteer mentor Jeff Schnee thought before meeting Javier for the first time four years ago. He couldn’t have predicted how his relationship with the then 12-year-old would grow and change both their lives.

When Jeff first met Javier he was a difficult, troubled kid who was unresponsive, angry and didn’t listen. Knowing him so well now, Schnee can see that he just had never had anyone on his side and the result was a lack of trust and little belief in himself.

But that’s all changed. “He smiles all the time!” Jeff shares.

Jeff’s visits once a week have made them pretty close. For Jeff, whose family is all female, Javier is the brother or the son he never had a chance to hang out with. And, for Javier...there’s someone on his side that he can open up and really talk to.

“People don’t realize the trauma and the experience these kids go through until they talk with them.”

How Can I Change a Life Sharing a Few Hours?The thought of being a mentor can be scary. What do I do with them?

For Jeff and Javier, their activities are fun. Going to the gym on Saturday, volunteering at a soup kitchen together, fairs, festivals, Heat games. Sometimes it’s just running errands or Jeff going to Javier’s football practices and games. Just typical family outings and activities.

Now 16, their current activity together?

Getting Javier his drivers permit. Jeff worked along with Javier's SOS case worker to track down his mom for her signature. It took weeks to finally make arrangements and Jeff had to drive him to Hollywood.

“She (his mom) wanted to know what kinds of things he’s doing. She looked at me like I was the primary adult in his life and I guess in a way I am.”

For Jeff, Javier has become a part of his family. Javier is included at most of his family functions and was even a part of his daughter’s wedding.

Their relationship has made a big impact on both their lives and Jeff looks forward to sharing graduation, college and beyond continuing to be a part of Javier's life for a long time to come.

“(Mentoring) is one of the most gratifying things in my life, aside from my family.” - mentor Jeff Schnee about his ongoing relationship with one SOS child.

Mentoring -Changing Two Lives With A Few Hours

Become an SOS MentorWe have lots of new boys and girls waiting for someone like you to share their time. Visit www.sosflorida.com or contact Genevieve at 954-420-5030 x 220 for more information or to begin the application process.

When Emma sat down to eat her first meal at SOS, she was not used to eating regular meals and always had to worry when she would have her next meal. She wanted to take part of her dinner back to her room to save for the next day. And, she’s not the first of our kids to do this.

The reassurance of a nutritious breakfast, lunch and dinner every day is one of the first steps that helps our foster kids feel secure in their home at the Village. Once Emma realized she didn’t have to worry about food, she could focus on other things while getting stronger and healthier. Even better, dinner time together became family time.

Celebrating a Good MealYour investment in our family provides many things. But there are few things more vital than the health and hope of a good meal.

That’s why this year’s Hope and Home Gala Committee is dedicating a special part of our celebration to raising funds to support our family’s food costs.

Friends Give HopeYou can give a little extra hope to an SOS child that evening or, if you can't make it, become an SOS Gala Friend with Hope. Visit www.hopeandhomegala.org for tickets or information about how you can be a part of the celebration.

Hope Is a Good Meal

Featuring overflowing cocktails, sumptuous dining and silent & live auctions Complimentary valet • Cocktail attire, white optional

Saturday, April 26, 2014 at 7pm

Boca West Country Club 20583 Boca West Drive

Please join us for an elegant evening in support of our children

Sponsored ByPresented By

Seminole Region Charity Golf Tournament

hopeandhomegala.org or 954-420-5030 for tickets or info

48000 meals / year

$3.75 per meal

75 healthy, happy kids

Wheelabrator Technologies Inc.A Waste Management Company

ADT • Debbie & Howard Belford Debby & Barry Glick • Lisa & David Goodman

Gregory's Fine Jewelry • JM Family Enterprises Republic National Distributing Company

Seawood Builders • Seminole Casino - Coconut Creek Setnor Byer Insurance & Risk • Vicki & Vic Weinstein