Westgate Foundation Partners with City of Life to Provide Jobs, Housing to Former Foster Kids

Young adults who “age out” of state-supported foster care get a helping hand from the Westgate Resorts Foundation, founded by timeshare industry pioneer David Siegel. The Foundation will provide jobs, housing and access to educational opportunities for up to a dozen young people from central Florida with an eye toward expanding the program in 2006.

Orlando, FL (PRWEB) January 6, 2006 -- The City of Life Foundation is pleased to announce a unique and groundbreaking partnership that will serve young people who have reached the age of 18 and have “aged out” of Florida’s foster care program. City of Life is partnering with the Orlando-based Westgate Resorts Foundation to provide jobs, apartments and access to educational opportunities for up to a dozen young adults.

City of Life also is partnering with Family Services of Metro Orlando (FSMO), a private, not-for-profit social services agency that serves as lead agency for community-based care in Orange and Osceola counties. FSMO will work with both the young adults and Westgate personnel on issues relating to job coaching, mentoring, educational planning and emotional support. City of Life is serving a connecting role between Westgate Resorts Foundation and FSMO. This initial program is slated to expand in mid-2006 to serve more young adults who formerly were in foster care.

“Kids in foster care, especially older kids, have already experienced some pretty tough times. When they hit 18, their support system simply ends. We want to show them what opportunity looks like and how far they can go when they grab hold of a big break,” said David Siegel, President and CEO of Westgate Resorts.

“We are fortunate to have the resources to meet the unique needs of this program,” Siegel added. “And we’ve had a tremendous response within our organization. We have literally dozens of people who have volunteered to serve as mentors.”

The young adults in the program will work in entry-level jobs at one of the various Westgate Resort properties in Metro Orlando. They will be paired with mentors from within the Westgate organization who can offer advice on life skills, goal-setting and career advancement within Westgate. In return, the young adults participating in the program are required to commit to working for Westgate for at least six months and to following the educational plan set up by FSMO. The educational plan will be determined according to individual needs; some participants will pursue a General Equivalency Degree while others will attend classes at Valencia Community College.

Gerard F. Glynn, president of the City of Life Foundation, said: “We’re very grateful for the support of Mr. Siegel and everyone associated with the Westgate Foundation. Our organization has determined that there is a gap associated with the state’s foster care program that primarily concerns kids who ‘age out’ of the system. When a kid hits 18, the foster care system opens the doors and kicks them out. Very few youth have the skills to succeed as an adult without a support system at age 18. As an organization, our goal is to create avenues where foster kids can transition from youth into adulthood without creating a new bureaucracy. This partnership with Westgate and Family Services of Metro Orlando addresses all of those issues in one fantastic package.”

Deadra Martin, MS, independent living coordinator with FSMO, said participants in the program realize they are being given a big break. “It’s amazing to watch these kids as they come into the Westgate organization and realize how big it is and how far-reaching the Westgate family is. It is so surreal that I have to ensure them this is real. We hope that Westgate’s commitment will challenge other businesses to support more foster youth who are transitioning into adulthood.”

About City of Life Foundation

City of Life is a 501(c)3 corporation made up of a volunteer board and one full-time employee interested in making a positive difference in the lives of young people, especially foster youth, age 16 and older as they make transition to adulthood. The Foundation works with existing community resources to build a self-sustaining program that provides jobs and structure for at-risk youth with a particular focus on foster care youth that “age out” of the system.

About Westgate Resorts Foundation

Westgate Resorts Foundation is a Florida-based 501(c)3 corporation. Since its inception, the Westgate Resorts Foundation has raised and distributed almost $4 million to charities that provide services for women and children, families and seniors in central Florida and the communities where Westgate owns and operates resorts. The Westgate Resorts Foundation is unique in that every dollar is raised by Westgate employees, executives and business partners. Founder David Siegel pays all of the administrative and operating costs of the Foundation so that every dollar raised goes directly to people in need.

About Family Services of Metro Orlando

Family Services of Metro Orlando (FSMO) is a private, human service organization dedicated to protecting children and strengthening families. As the lead agency for community-based care in Orange and Osceola counties, FSMO is responsible for the management of the child-protection system focusing on family safety services, such as foster care, adoption, protective supervision and emergency shelters. FSMO is a member of the Kids Hope United federation of child welfare agencies, founded in Downers Grove, Illinois, in 1895. For more information, visit www.fsmetroorlando.org.

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