Children’s Guardian Fund Recognizes Local Businesses for Hiring Foster Care Youth

Through the Bridge to the Future program, the Children’s Guardian Fund initiated a new program, Kids Getting Jobs, designed to provide training, employment assistance and mentoring for teens in the foster care system. Mark Richmond, President of Furniture Warehouse and Phillip Tavill, CEO of Children First, both immediately agreed to provide summer jobs when approached to participate.

Mr. Richmond added a local teen to his Furniture Warehouse office staff in Bradenton, and Mr. Tavill created a classroom aide position at Children First in Sarasota for another promising youth.

The goal of Kids Getting Jobs is to teach and groom foster teens who are then guided through the jobs process from the interview stage, to the first day of work, and beyond.  Supervision and mentoring after the placement helps these first-time employees develop a strong work ethic. Both Furniture Warehouse and Children First were chosen to participate based upon their agreement with the intended principles of the Kids Getting Jobs initiative.

The Children’s Guardian Fund partners with the Guardian Ad Litem program to provide resources that fill the basic needs and enrich the lives of approximately 1200 children in foster and state care in Florida’s 12th Judicial Circuit. They also promote public awareness and community support for the children’s needs.  We welcome participation by businesses and volunteers. For more information, or to discuss your business hiring a teen in state care, please contact Bridge to the Future Program Director, Jan Vestal, at (941) 447-6584, or by email at jan.cgf@gmail.com