In the News

TIKI DENTAL BRINGS HEALTHY SMILES TO LOCAL FOSTER YOUTH
February is National Children’s Dental Awareness Month

Dr. Jennifer Adelson treating a patient.	Dr. Adelson and the Tiki Dental Staff.	Dr. Jennifer Adelson in the tropical themed waiting area.

PLANTATION, FL – Bright smiles begin with healthy teeth and gums and this month, National Children’s Dental Awareness Month, dentists across the nation spotlight the need for dental care for their youngest patients. In February, Hallandale Beach dental office Tiki Dental partnered with ChildNet to provide dental care to children in foster care that will outlast the month’s celebrations.

Dr. Jennifer Adelson and the team at Tiki Dental will offer an array of dental services at substantially reduced prices to local children in foster care and provide orthodontic services at a flat rate of $1500 for 10 children. Emilio Benitez, ChildNet’s Chief Executive Officer, is thrilled about the partnership. “Tiki Dental is meeting a great need by offering orthodontic services inclusive of consultation, treatment, materials and follow-up appointments for up to two years,” said Emilio. “In Broward County it is almost impossible for a child to receive Medicaid funded orthodontic services; having Dr. Adelson offering these services at such a reduced cost is simply amazing.” The partnership with Tiki Dental will also provide quality dental care for the more than forty-five children in foster care who do not qualify for Medicaid because of their immigration status.

Dr. Jennifer Adelson first got involved with children in foster care through her professional relationship with Broward Cares For Kids’ board member, Lisa Gaeta. Broward Cares For Kids is a nonprofit that raises funds to support children in the foster care system. “When Lisa Gaeta approached me to see if I would be interested in joining the board of Broward Cares for Kids, I knew this is exactly how I wanted to give my time and energy back to the Broward County community,” remembers Dr. Adelson. “It’s really all about the children. When the children from ChildNet come into my office for their dental needs, I am always greeted with such smiles of appreciation, which is what it is all about”. Tiki Dental has celebrated Children’s Dental Awareness Month since 2008. Every February, Tiki Dental gives vouchers for free dental services to local schools, places of worship and non-profit organizations like teen pregnancy groups and the Autism Foundation to disperse to children who are in dire need of dental attention. The vouchers entitle eligible children to schedule appointments to be seen on February 19th. Each child will receive a dental cleaning, examination, X-rays, and necessary restorative treatment, all free of charge, thanks to the generosity of Dr. Jennifer Adelson. If you are interested in helping Broward County’s children in foster care, you can make a contribution at www.BrowardCaresForKids.org.

ChildNet is the private, not for profit organization selected by the state through a competitive process to serve as the local Community Based Care lead agency. As the lead agency, ChildNet manages the local system of services and supports for Broward’s abused, abandoned and neglected children and their caregivers. This system of care was developed with extensive input from local stakeholders and its effective implementation depends upon their continued support. For more information on ChildNet, visit the web site at www.ChildNet.us or call (954) 414-6000.

MIAMI SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA GIVES THE GIFT OF MUSIC TO LOCAL FOSTER CHILDREN

L to R: Dipak Parekh, ChildNet CFO; Lisa Gaeta, Broward Cares For Kids Board Member; Nathalie Sloane, The Miami Symphony Orchestra, Emilio Benitez, ChildNet CEO.	Toys collected by symphony attendees.	The Miami Symphony in action.

PLANTATION, FL – Tis’ the season to give the gift of music. The Miami Symphony Orchestra (MISO), in partnership with Broward Cares for Kids, did just that on December 6th when four lucky foster care youth and their respective guardians enjoyed MISO’s Golden Sounds from Hollywood performance at the Lincoln Theatre in Miami Beach. “This is an experience that the children would not have had if it were not for MISO’s generosity,” said Lisa Gaeta, Broward Cares for Kids board member. “Despite the economic challenges that many companies faced this year, it is wonderful to see that MISO made it a priority to give back.”

MISO collected $750 dollars worth of donated toys to ChildNet’s Annual Holiday Toy Drive to benefit Broward County’s children in foster care at the December 6th show. The toys were donated by generous concert-goers in the spirit of holiday giving. Nathalie Sloane, MISO’s Development Director, knew that the children would love the exciting event. “Golden Sounds from Hollywood is a fun concert for all ages and MISO was thrilled to be able to share it with these children, who really deserve a memorable holiday,” added Nathalie. Fun was had by all attendees as members of the ChildNet’s executive management team and Broward Cares for Kids board members also brought their children to enjoy the show.

BCFK - RE-LAUNCH TO HELP BROWARD COUNTY'S ABUSED CHILDREN

PLANTATION, FL – Broward Cares For Kids Foundation (BCFK), the non-profit organization formed in 2004 to raise awareness and money to support children in the welfare system has re-launched with a new website and logo, new board members and a renewed focus. The kick-off event was held on June 26th at ChildNet headquarters in Plantation to celebrate the receipt of two national grants, My Stuff Bags and The Pajama Program. My Stuff Bags Foundation provides a beautiful large duffle bag stuffed with things to cuddle, things to hold onto and to call their own to abused and neglected children entering crisis and foster care. The Pajama Program, a non-profit organization, provides new pajamas and new books to children who are waiting and hoping to be adopted. Lisa Gaeta, President & CEO of Finance Placements & Consulting and a board member of BCFK, submitted both grant applications after seeing one of the foundations on Oprah years ago. After both grants were approved, ChildNet received almost 400 stuffed bags and pajamas. The bags stuffed with blankets, toys, toiletries and pajamas were distributed at the kick-off event. The bags are available to children that enter SafePlace, the first place children in Broward County go when they are removed from their homes due to abuse, abandonment or neglect.

Emilio Benitez, Chief Executive Officer of ChildNet said that when children are removed from their homes, many times they come with little or no personal belongings. “Being able to give them [children] a bag filled with necessities and toys help to make this transition a little more bearable,” adds Emilio. “The looks and smiles on the faces of these neglected children is priceless when we are able to give them these simple necessities to help them get settled in their new surroundings” adds Lisa Gaeta.

Broward Cares For Kids Foundation (BCFK), Inc. is a 501(C)(3) corporation, formed in 2004 with the sole objective of raising funds to support children in the welfare system. Funds raised by or donated to the Broward Cares for Kids Foundation are used exclusively to benefit the abused, abandoned and neglected children of Broward County, who have been placed in the local child welfare system. For more information about BCFK, visit our website at www.browardcaresforkids.org or call 954-414-5995.


LOCAL ARTISTS’ WORK ON DISPLAY AT DCOTA - Raised $78,000!

FT LAUDERDALE, FL – A surfer dude, a child walking through the sands of time, and a superhero “wanna be” swinging in the playground. These are just a few of the unique results of local artists’ creations for Broward Cares for Kids Foundation, Inc., an art auction to benefit ChildNet at the Design Center of the Americas (DCOTA).

The “Miguis”, as they are called, are 2-foot tall fiberglass sculptures of a child. The sculptures have been “adopted” by various local artists who have created unique sculptures. Local artists, Wendy White and Roland Ruocco, worked with children from Kids In Distress to create one of the 40 Miguis that were on display. Neiman Marcus and the Humane Society have joined dozens of local artists in creating different forms of the sculpture.

In addition to the Miguis, John Day, owner of Mangos on Las Olas, donated a special piece of art for the event. Ralph Pucci, the designer of mannequins used in the fashion industry, has donated his only personally signed mannequin, entitled “Blank Kid”.

This project was planned and coordinated in conjunction with the Broward Child Welfare Initiative (BCWI), ArtServe, the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale, DCOTA and a committee dedicated to supporting ChildNet and the children it serves.




STICK YOUR NECK OUT LUNCHEON AT THE TOWER CLUB - RAISED $21,000!

A teary couple who adopted four children told their story to a room full of more that 130 choked up community members gathered at the first annual ChildNet luncheon recently at the Tower Club. Those who gathered at the awareness-raising luncheon were some of Broward’s newest advocates for children. When multiple problems continued to exist in years past throughout the state and nation’s foster programs, Broward County - who had its share of struggles as well - was one of the first to take on the privatization challenge. In doing so, it created ChildNet, which has a become a model nationwide for successful child welfare reform.

Mark Maller, President of Bank of America, spoke of the partnership the bank has forged with ChildNet and how important ChildNet was to the future of a positively functioning county.

"Childnet has tremendous mission and leadership," Maller said. "Not only through ChildNet are the children receiving better care, they are also receiving a greater level of permanency in a shorter time.

An auxiliary group sold stuffed giraffes during the holiday season and, using the same theme, held the Stick Your Neck Out luncheon in April.

"The giraffe has a great story," said Ginny Miller, former ChildNet board member, "it sticks out its neck just like our Child Advocates do for children every day." The event raised over $21,000.00.




RIVER HOUSE - "HELPING CHILDREN BLOOM" - RAISED $4,080!

Over one hundred people gathered at the River House to the beat of a steel drum band to support ChildNet. The event, “Helping Children Bloom: a Fall Social” raised over $4,000 for the local agency responsible for all foster care and adoptions in Broward County.

“We were so pleased to see so many local business and community leaders come out to support ChildNet,” said Larry Rein, ChildNet Vice President of Network Development. “This is just another event that shows that Broward Cares for Kids.”

Proceeds from the event assisted ChildNet in its efforts to raise funds to purchase property for foster family group homes.

“We know that some foster children do best in homes with other children their age,” said Rein, “but we definitely do not want to put them in large, institutional settings. Instead we are trying to raise money to purchase properties that can serve as smaller family foster homes.”

Helping Children Bloom was presented by SunTrust. Miller Construction, Southern Wine and Spirits, and Maroone, sponsored the event. Floral donations for the event were made by Tulips, Bashful Daisy, and A Basket Affair.