8550 Ulmerton Road, Suite 255, Largo, FL 33771

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Suncoast Voices for Children Gala 2022

October 1, 2022 | The Birchwood, St. Petersburg, FL

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2021 Gala Highlights

Thank You, Gala Sponsors!

Platinum Sponsors

Gold Sponsors

Silver Sponsors

Outstanding Community Partners

Thank You to Everyone Who Donated in 2021!

Mr. and Mrs. Charles Abro

Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Adams

Mr. and Mrs. John Adams

Ms. Carol Allen

Mr. Andy Ashley

Ms. Claire Babcock

Mr. and Mrs. Kevin and Deborah Bakewell

Ms. Juli Balcom

Ms. Monika Baldwin

Mr. Rand Baldwin

Mr. Bob Lee and Ms. Kim Barger

Ms. Colleen Barger

Mr. and Mrs. Chris & Helen Barrott

Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence & Ali Bearnarth

Mrs. Rita Becchetti

Ms. Jean Behnke

Ms. Layce Berry

Mr. Eugene Berry

Mr. and Mrs. Gary & Elizabeth Blume

Dr. and Mrs. Mark & Jennifer Casanta

Mr. and Mrs. Franz & Adriana Chamorro

Mr. and Mrs. Scott & Karen Clendening

Mr. and Mrs. Matthew & Caroline Coffey

Mrs. Carol Conaway

Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Conaway

Mr. Fred Cook

Mr. Matthew Cowley

Mr. and Mrs. Lee & Bernadette Craig

Mr. and Mrs. Glenn & Hollyce Davenport

Mr. and Mrs. David & Margaret Delisle

Mr. and Mrs. Paul Dinsdale

Mr. and Mrs. Joe & Erin Dise

Mr. and Mrs. Gerald & Aidee Dohse

Ms. Linda Ellis

Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Fagan

Ms. Cynthia Faulhaber

Matthew & Fritz Faulhaber

Ms. Sophie Faulhaber

Ms. Sonya Faulhaber

Commissioner Christina Fitzpatrick

Mr. Justin Flood

Mr. Richard Forsyth, Wendover Art Group

Mr. and Mrs. Matthew & Anne Michelle Frey

Mr. and Mrs. Cory & Tara Gaffney

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas & Donna Gaffney

Ms. Victoria Glennon

Mr. Brian & Kristen Gnage

Ms. Jill Goulet

Mr. and Mrs. Wes & Shanae Graham

Mrs. Kim Guido

Ms. Jacqueline Guthrie

Mr. and Mrs. Travis Hadwin

Ms. Elizabeth Heinkel

Ms. Cheryl Hodges

Mr. and Mrs. Dean & Jennifer Hoover

Mr. and Mrs. Jason & Amber Jacobs

Ms. Bonnie James

Mr. Richard Jenkins

Ms. Clare Johns

Mr. and Mrs. Kelly & Michael Johnson

Mr. and Mrs. Kevin & Vanessa Kasprzyk

Mr. Chauncey Keene

Mr. Justin Kelly

Ms. Sumaiyya Khan

Mr. Erich Klopfer

Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey & Suzanne Kyker

Mr. and Mrs. James Lauttenbach

Mr. and Mrs. William Lazenby

Ms. Jee Lee

Mr. Mario Lentsch

Ms. Dana Levy

Mr. Jeremiah Lewis

Mr. Peter Lilly

Mr. and Mrs. Fred MacFawn

Mr. Doug MacWhinney

Mr. and Mrs. Bob Magnan

Mr. and Mrs. Tom & Kari Mainelli

Colby & Andrea Masterson

Mr. William Matthews

Mr. and Mrs. Michael & Marilyn Maurin

Mr. and Mrs. Kelly Mione

Ms. Barbara Montgomery

Mrs. Eileen Morroni

Ms. Sheri Coker-Newton

Ms.  Angela Helmus-O’Brien

Ms. Lois Pardoll

Mr. and Mrs. Mike & Raquel Place

Mr. Tom Vander Plog

Mr. and Mrs. Chris & Traci Pyhel

The Honorable and Mrs. Frank and Suzann Quesada

Ms. Alexandria Quinn

Ms. Alexandra Rahman

Mr. and Mrs. Ivan & Jessica Rangel

Mr. and Mrs. Mario & Marcela Ricaurte

Mr. and Mrs. Lisa & Alan Ross

Dr. Richard Wilkes and Ms. Tina Ruggiero

Mr. and Mrs. Rick Scalon

Mr. and Mrs. Jake & Kimberly Schneider

Mr. Raymond Tetzlaff & Mrs. Lana Schutte-Tetzlaff

Ms. Laurie Tibbetts Serra

Mr. and Mrs. Barry & Nancy Shapiro

Mr. and Mrs. Josh & Jennifer Shaver

Mr. and Mrs. Harold Smith

Ms. Madeleine Smith

Mr. and Mrs. Kyle & Josie Starke

Michael and Kelly Stinson

Mr. and Mrs. Jason & Christy Stross

The Honorable Irene Sullivan

Mr. and Mrs. Richard & Elaine Surette

Ms. Nina Sweet

Ms. Lacey Tatro

Dr. and Mrs. Anthony Terra

Mr. Jeffrey Thibeau

Mr. Randall Thibeau

Dane’t Thibeau

Ms. Sacha Thomas

Mr. and Mrs. Jeremy & Kiley Tollberg

Mr. and Mrs. William & Kathy Valentine

Mr. and Mrs. Jim & Celeste Valenty

Ms. Marci Wainwright

Ms. Susan Wallace

Ms. Heidi Warner

Dr. and Mrs. Drew & Julianna Warnick

Mr. Ari Weisberg

Mrs. Sabine Williams

Ms. Sharon Winchester

Ms. Cristie Wolfe

Mr. Ron Wolfson and Ms. Judith Woodworth

Ms. Christine & Joshua Wyatte

Mr. and Mrs. Andy Yasparro

Mr. Dylan Yasparro

Ms. Cara Zingre

Gulf Beaches Rotary Club

American Legion Auxilary Cross Bayou Post 252

Suncoast Stories

Fitting In

Andy is 15 and 6’3”. His family was living in a tent, and Andy became embarrassed to go to school because the other kids knew his living situation and he always smelled bad. Suncoast Voices provided Andy with food, shirts, pants, underwear, socks and shoes, laundry detergent, and personal hygiene items, as well as help with laundering clothes, so he could go to school without feeling ashamed about his life situation that he can’t control.

Suncoast Stories

When Santa Doesn’t Make It

Jenny is four-years-old and living with a non-relative friend who took her in when she was removed from parents that neglected her. She asked Santa for a tricycle, but it never arrived, and she wants to play with her cousins, but their bikes are too big for her. Suncoast Voices used donations from people just like you to give Jenny a Frozen tricycle of her own.

Suncoast Stories

Keeping Babies Safe

One grandma took in three children when one of their fathers was found in a hotel room with the sleeping baby next to a gun and a bag of drugs. The second father broke into Grandma’s home and tried to take the infant, and the other also broke in by busting down the door. Suncoast Voices bought door and window alarms to protect the safety of everyone in the house.

Suncoast Stories

Helping Single Dads Stay Afloat

Suncoast Voices, through generous contributions from our donors, was able to provide a crib and a baby swing for a newborn girl who was place in the custody of her father when her mother was rendered unable to care for her because of severe mental health issues. The loving dad is renting a room and trying to work more to be able to financially support his child, but he can’t afford everything she needs, so the items from Suncoast Voices were invaluable to her well-being and his peace of mind.

Suncoast Stories

Dental Attention

Bella is four and has been neglected most of her life. Before entering foster care, she never saw a dentist or had medical attention, and she possibly had never had a toothbrush in her mouth. When she entered foster care, the extent of her dental problems was discovered. A pediatric dentist determined she needed six teeth extracted, three teeth filled, and two spacers fixed, as well as a surgery to remove a painful abscess in her mouth that was making it difficult for her to eat. Sunshine Medicaid would not cover the cost of the surgery because it required anesthesia, so Suncoast Voices, with the help of our generous donors, stepped up and covered the entire cost so Bella could have relief.

Suncoast Stories

Unexpected Change

A few days before Thanksgiving, Benjamin and Brian, ten-year-old twins, were abandoned suddenly by their parents, who made no attempt to contact them. They have been placed with an aunt who only had camping cots for them to sleep on and no funds to purchase beds. Suncoast Voices gave them a set of twin beds and comfortable bedding to provide them with some small sense of normalcy in all of the transition.

Suncoast Stories

Filling Hearts And Holes

Four-year-old Didi was found the day before her 5th birthday by a Child Protection Investigator, living with her homeless mother on her mother’s friend’s couch. She had only one dress, that was full of holes, and one toy. Her first question to the CPI was if she knew how to sew. Because of donations we receive from people just like you, Suncoast Voices was able to give Didi a birthday party, with a real cake, new toys, and new shoes and clothes - without holes.

Suncoast Stories

Safe Haven 

James, who is transgender, was abused by his family. He experienced extreme Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, which led to sleep disturbances, panic attacks, anger issues, unrestricted crying, anxiety, paranoia, and horribly depleted self-esteem. He was homeless for some time, and didn’t attempt to communicate with his parents. James persevered, and is now headed for a college education! He has his own place to live, but he has no furniture. Because of the generosity of our donors and our community partner New2UThriftStore, Suncoast Voices was able to provide $400 towards furniture and appliances, so James can create his own home that is safe from hate.

Suncoast Stories

Running Shoes

Fourteen-year-old Anthony was abandoned by his mother and is unable to be cared for by his homeless father. He lives in a group home where many abused children go when they are older than prospective adoptive parents will generally take in. He wanted to join the track team, but had no one to pay for his running shoes, so Suncoast Voices provided what he needed through the support of donors like you!

Suncoast Stories

Keeping Siblings Together 

Jack, Tom, and Heather (ages eight, ten, and twelve) were removed from their mother because she left them alone more than eight hours a day, and they were often seen outside playing unattended by bodies of water. They now live in separate group homes. Thanks to donations from donors just like you, Suncoast Voices was able to send them to summer camp together, where they will learn how to swim and play, with supervision!

Suncoast Stories

Emergency Responses

A fire in one house endangered three-month-old twins, who were born prematurely and already had significant breathing issues. While the medical personnel treated them for smoke damage, Suncoast Voices was contacted by Child Protection Investigators to provide them and their two-year-old brother with new clothing and blankets (which had been destroyed in the fire). We were able to give them what they needed immediately, thanks to donors like you!

Suncoast Stories

Beds Of Their Own 

Three children (ages twelve, six, and seven months) were removed from their parents’ home because of substance abuse and domestic violence. These precious kids were sent to live in Grandma and Grandpa’s crowded three bedroom house, which was inhabited by no less than seven other people at the time. They found themselves sleeping wherever they could find room (the floor, the couch, etc.). Suncoast Voices was able to give all three children beds of their own through the generous donations of caring people!

Suncoast Stories

Sports And Healing

Daniel, Darlene, and Davey (ages ten, eight, and four) were abandoned by their mother after their dad was sent to prison for domestic violence, and were sent to live with Grandma and three other children. Often, children that witness violence experience a form of PTSD and need to process it through positive physical activity. Thanks to Suncoast Voices and our donors, Daniel will play on a rec flag football team, while Darlene and Davey will play soccer! We purchased cleats and uniforms, and paid the team fees, so that they could have fun, expend their energy, and build healthy relationships with other kids and coaches.

 

Suncoast Stories

After-school Activities

Five-year-old Lily was removed from her mother and now lives with her single father. She wanted to play baseball with the other kids after school, but lacked cleats, and her father could not afford them. Her case worker reached out to Suncoast Voices, who was able to give her new cleats (thanks to donor support) so she could participate!

Suncoast Stories

From Dissonance To Harmony

Anna Lisa was removed from her parents at age 12, and sent to live with Grandma and three other siblings. She is a talented violinist, but had outgrown the instrument the school had been providing. Because of donations we received, Suncoast Voices was able to give her a violin of her own that was the right size and quality for her musical ability, so she can keep developing her talent and cope with her pain through music!

Suncoast Stories

Solid Start 

Tiffany turned 18, and is now transitioning out of the foster care system. 20% of children who age out become instantly homeless, and Suncoast Voices (along with our community partner New2UThriftStore) was able to provide items such as appliances and furniture for Tiffany’s apartment so that she did not join that number.

Suncoast Stories

A Night To Remember

The costly nature of senior year is something that foster kids simply can’t afford. Suncoast Voices gave two 17-year-old girls living in foster care tickets for the prom, prom dresses and shoes, and hair and makeup accessories so they could have a special evening even though their families were torn apart by trauma.

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Address

8550 Ulmerton Road,
Suite 255, Largo, FL 33771

Phone

(727) 582-3609

Email

info@suncoastvoices.org

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