Will Clervil Tiano may be a familiar face. Over the last eight years, Will’s journey has been an inspiring story of dedication, hard work and triumph. We first met Will when he and his younger brother were removed from their mother’s care due to her inability to properly care for the boys. They were living in abandoned houses, abandoned cars, and anywhere else they could find shelter for a night. Will recalls praying to God along with his younger brother asking for help. What happened next is nothing short of a miracle.
The boys were brought to Place of Hope where we kept them together on the Paxson Campus, unlike many sibling groups who are most often separated when in foster care. Both boys had untapped natural talents and athleticism and were signed up for school sports. Will in football, his brother in track. Through the generosity of our donors, Will was enrolled at Jupiter Christian School where he was able to graduate with honors in 2015 and earned a scholarship to Southeastern University to play football. Through Place of Hope, Will also met his mentor, Sal Tiano and the Tiano family, who later would become his forever family through adoption.
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At Southeastern University, Will majored in Psychology and Social Work. Each summer, Will came back to Place of Hope working as a relief parent and support parent mentoring other boys with stories like his. In 2020, the football athlete graduated with his Master’s in Social Work and went to Pinellas County to work for the Department of Children and Families as a caseworker. “Through my time as a DCF caseworker, I gained a greater appreciation for Place of Hope. Out of all the foster homes and foster parents I visited in my two years, none of them were like Place of Hope, and did not provide the same opportunities that I had as a foster child while at Place of Hope,” Will shares.
In March 2022 Will married his wife Erin who he met at SEU. Erin joined the team working at Place of Hope shortly after, followed by Will who officially joined the staff at Place of Hope in May 2022 where she is our Enrichment Volunteer Specialist! Will works at our sister entity, Villages of Hope as a Therapist and Support Specialist working with aged out foster youth and otherwise homeless youth.
Will’s challenges seemed insurmountable, but he says, “Those who say they can and cannot are both right.” Will represents so many of our incredible youth who are shattering the statistics placed on them and we could not be more proud!
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Will’s story is a reality because of God’s provision and your support. Though there are several ways to support Place of Hope throughout the year, we have an exciting and unique opportunity through the end of the year to help more kids like Will!
Sal & Kim Tiano (Will's adoptive parents) have pledged to match, dollar-for-dollar, every gift that comes in to Place of Hope’s Education, Enrichment, Wellness and Daily Family Life Scholarship Fund now, through the end of the year!
Our Education, Enrichment, Wellness and Daily Family Life Activities Scholarship Fund provides high quality wrap around services and supportive programs for our children, youth and families to heal, develop, grow and thrive. There programs and services include, but are not limited to:
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Essential care and services like mentoring, tutoring, haircuts, and dental services
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Community enrichment activities like swimming lessons, equine lessons, and sporting events
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Camps, travel and clinics including summer camps, family vacations, mission camps, and soccer clinics
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Life and holiday celebrations including birthdays, adoption, homecoming, prom, Christmas and Hanukkah
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Education, leadership & career development opportunities like career days, job-site tours, graduation, life skills classes and more!
Your gift of $100 becomes $200. Your gift of $250 becomes $500! Place of Hope is caring for over 5,000 children, youth and families each year. Every dollar you give is making a life changing difference in the lives of children and youth like Will.
Place of Hope has not only received for the fourth time a #1 ranking in the Nation by Charity Navigator for Youth Development, Crisis Services and Shelter, but also a four out of four star, perfect score by Charity Navigator for “Finance, Accountability, and Transparency.”
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A Message from our CEO
Will is a truly inspiring testament of perseverance, hope, commitment and love. We are honored to share his incredible story that defies national statistics. At Place of Hope, we are committed to giving kids a safe place to live who have been removed from their homes for abuse, neglect, and abandonment, as well as young families with children facing homelessness.
We are grateful for the many campus locations, cottages, apartments, programs, and support efforts we have available, thanks to God and our amazing supporters over the years and today! We continue to be steadfast in child abuse prevention and providing affordable housing options for aged out foster youth, homeless youth and single moms with children to create healthy households, so no child must experience what Will had experienced before coming to Place of Hope.
Towards those efforts, in the last few months, Place of Hope took ownership of our new Stuart (Martin County) Campus and formally launched our Phases I and II Capital Expansion Campaign. The campus was given to Place of Hope by Samaritan’s Home for Boys & Families in latter 2021. This is the same way in which we received our Leighan and David Rinker (Boca) Campus ten years ago as well as our KidSanctuary Campus that was gifted to us in August 2022. All three organizations entrusted Place of Hope to continue the legacies they had created.
The Stuart Campus will house not only pre-18 foster youth in our Neighborhood Family Foster Care model, but also once complete will house over 60 former foster or homeless youth, single moms with kids, families in transition and human trafficking survivors. Headquartered regionally on this campus is also our Shade Tree Family Outreach Program. Place of Hope provides material support to families and children in need throughout the region keeping children out of foster care.
Thank you, for your generosity and support making it possible to have a place of hope for so many in desperate need. Place of Hope is ranked #1 in the nation again, for the fourth year, by Charity Navigator. While there are many ways to impact your community for the better, your support of Place of Hope is well invested and lifts thousands of young lives.
Thank for all you do each day to directly reach into the lives of those entrusted to our care. We appreciate you! Isaiah 1:17. James 1:27
Charles L. Bender III
Founding CEO and Board Member
Place of Hope
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November is National Adoption Month |
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Over 360 forever families created through adoption at Place of Hope! |
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At Place of Hope we are providing children a safe, stable and loving family environment free from abuse, fear, neglect, and hunger. We are grateful for supporters like you who generously give throughout the year or make an annual gift so that we can care for and love on these deserving children right here in our community. Since opening our doors in 2001, we have cared for and provide safety, stability, dignity and hope to over 25,000 children, youth and families!
If you have not given yet this year, or this is your first time, you can rest assured you are blessing the lives of thousands of children through your generosity. Give a one time or recurring gift today and have your gift matched, dollar-for-dollar! Visit placeofhope.com/donate.
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Shop through Amazon Smile and Amazon will donate a portion of your purchases to Place of Hope! Support the children and youth in our care by selecting us as your charity of choice! |
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