Boys Town South Florida

Staff and guests enjoyed the evening's entertainment at the Boys Town South Florida 15th Anniversary Celebration. Pictured: Lauren Anderson, Boys Town South Florida CCS Coordinator; Jennifer Lee, Boys Town South Florida Support Services Coordinator; Denise Stinson, Boys Town; Joe Mulligan, Boys Town National Development; Amy Simpson, Boys Town South Florida Site Director, and Noemi Coltea Boys Town South Florida Development Director.

Boys Town South Florida Celebrates 15 Years of Helping Florida Children and Families

More than 115 guests learned how Boys Town South Florida is planting the seeds for tomorrow during a celebration dinner honoring the site's 15th anniversary Nov. 10.

"This event was really a 'friend-raiser,'" said Amy Simpson, Boys Town South Florida Site Director, "making people in our area more aware of the services we offer to help needy children and families in South Florida."

The festivities, at the historic Harriet Himmel Theater at City Place, West Palm Beach, paid tribute to the unique services which help create healthier families in the South Florida region. Hosted by Steve Weagle, WPTV News Channel 5 Meteorologist, the night included a silent and live auction and special music by Florry Duncan and the Tropical Suns. Money raised during the event will fund programs which provide direct care to children and families in the South Florida region.

"We are delighted with the turnout and support," said Simpson. "Everyone seemed to connect to our mission and several people expressed interest in becoming more involved."

"There is a need for social reform in child care in the South Florida region," said Gaetana Ebbole, CEO of the Children Services Council of Palm Beach County. "Boys Town South Florida is a true leader in our community."

During the evening, Boys Town South Florida recognized the recent expansion of services into Miami/Dade and Broward Counties, bringing services to families whose children are at risk of being removed from their home, generally because of abuse or neglect.

"Our Boys Town mission is to help change the way America cares for her children and families," said Simpson. "These new offices allow us to extend that mission to even more South Florida families, just as we have been doing now for 15 years."

Boys Town South Florida first opened in 1991. Now at three locations in South Florida, Boys Town consultants work with families on a short- or long-term basis, to help them create a healthy and loving home, improve parenting techniques, focus on strengths, become self-sufficient, and achieve basic goals. The Boys Town Family Preservation program is unique because services are available to any family in crisis regardless of location, age or the family's ability to pay.

"We help parents learn the skills they need to provide a safe, caring environment for their children - just as Father Flanagan envisioned when he began his mission nearly 90 years ago," said Simpson.

In 2005, 2,345 children received help, healing and hope at Boys Town South Florida -primarily through Family Based Services and Care Coordination Services. Another 19,781 children and families in the state of Florida were indirectly assisted through the Boys Town National Hotline and through outreach and professional training programs.