We are so incredibly proud of Casa Valentina resident Denise. A talented spoken-word artist, Denise was selected to participate in the recent TEDxYouth@Miami event at the Adrienne Arsht Center. She presented her original piece, “Life”. In this moving verse, Denise shows her resilience and strength.
Brandon (not his real name) moved frequently between foster care and his biological home throughout his childhood. His final stay in foster care began when he was 16; his father left Brandon alone to care for himself and his younger sisters and brothers while he traveled for weeks at a time.
A huge THANK YOU to the sponsors and volunteers who helped to make the day so wonderful…
Casa Valentina depends on generous support from individual donors to make our work possible. Donations from our strong network of friends allow us to maintain a small staff:client ratio, and provide our residents with the intensive services they need to transition successfully from foster care to independence.
By the time Pauline (not her real name) aged out of foster care on her 18th birthday, she had lived in seven different homes and attended more than 10 schools. As she struggled to adjust to each institution’s new schedules, new classes and new rules, she fell far behind in her studies. When she moved into Casa Valentina, finishing high school seemed like a distant dream.
Casa Valentina is an affordable housing and life skills program for youth who have aged out of foster care in Miami-Dade County. We offer our clients fully furnished, comfortable apartments in safe neighborhoods located close to public transportation; intensive case management; academic and career planning support; help accessing services (such as health and dental care); and life-skills training. Casa Valentina serves young women, young men, and young mothers in three separate programs; we opened our doors in 2006.
Your contribution allows us to further critical initiatives, and to continue providing the high-quality services that make Casa Valentina successful.
