02/10/2024
Hope Florida celebrated National Mentoring Month by announcing over 500 youth aging out of foster care have been connected with a mentor through Hope Florida: A Pathway to Promise. Launched only 4-months ago, this initiative, facilitated by the Statewide Guardian ad Litem Office (GAL), provides foster youth with a supportive mentor, who serves as a committed, caring adult as the youth transitions into adulthood, providing a lifeline for questions and advice related to living independently.
"A mentoring relationship can open hearts and change the trajectory of a foster childās life,ā said First Lady Casey DeSantis. āIt is heartwarming to witness the growing number of Floridians stepping up to invest in foster youth. Their commitment to serve as someone a youth can turn to for well-informed guidance, encouragement, and help in solving problems is creating hope and uplifting the next generation."
"I'm honored to come alongside our Hope Hero volunteers, Hope Navigators, and Guardian Ad Litem mentors during National Mentoring Month,ā said Erik Dellenback, Governor DeSantis' Liaison for Faith and Community. āHope Florida continues to be a beacon of simple yet profound connection, and I am proud to stand with the First Lady in that effort.ā
As more youth age out of Floridaās foster care system, the need for mentors increases.
Organizations and individuals interested in becoming involved in the Hope Florida ā A Pathway to Promise mentoring initiative can visit GAL's website. Click the link to become a mentor!
Spearheaded by First Lady Casey DeSantis and implemented by the Florida Department of Children and Families, Hope Florida utilizes āHope Navigatorsā to guide Floridians on an individualized path to prosperity, self-sufficiency, and hope by focusing on community collaboration between the private ...