The Florida Keys Children’s Shelter (FKCS) recently received a federal grant award over a three-year period, totaling $600,000 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration on Children, Youth, and Families (ACYF) for the development of a new Transitional Living Program (TLP).
Transitional living services will be provided to young adults, ages 16-22, who may be homeless, aging out of foster care or in a variety of other situations which limit self-sufficiency. Youth who are emancipated between the ages of 16 to 17 years old will be served at the TLP, otherwise they will be served by FKCS’s Jelsema programs.
FKCS will offer individual and group counseling sessions with on-site support staff that will include case management, health and wellness, independent living skills, educational planning, career development and vocational training.
Outreach efforts directed toward community agencies will also support this program, and in turn, substantially satisfy a regional need for a safe, stable living environment for youth to learn or enhance their life skills, abilities and potential.
“I’ve been with the Florida Keys Children’s Shelter for 21 years. And for 21 years, I have watched hundreds of kids age out of services, with nowhere to go,” said Florida Keys Children’s Shelter CEO, Ben Kemmer. “I’m so proud to be part of this exciting new chapter with our organization.
The Florida Keys Children’s Shelter TLP is designed to take the individual needs of each resident into consideration, but the goal for each individual is the same — to successfully make the transition into a responsible, independent, young adult.
“We could care for the kids until they are 18, but then they were sent away to Miami and beyond, for assistance in their last step, transitioning into adulthood,” said FKCS Chairman, Brad Copeland. “Sending Keys kids to Miami at 18 years of age, with no job and no money, is a formula for failure. Now with our new TLP program, our kids will be supported in a loving home environment, while they work through first jobs, college, trade school, or whatever path to success they choose.
FKCS is currently seeking to fill three positions for this new program; applications for a case manager, a coordinator and a community specialist are being accepted. All positions require a bachelor’s degree, as well as a minimum of two years related experience with runaway and homeless youth.
For more information, please visit www.FKCS.org or call 305-852-4246.
