(BRANDON, FLA.) – The 7th Annual Fostering Hope Gala, benefitting Brandon-based A Kid’s Place, and presented by Homes by WestBay, raised more than $500,000 on Saturday, May 8th, 2021. The Arabian Knights-themed event was held at the Sanders Outdoor Pavilion at Zoo Tampa with approximately 350 people in attendance and socially distancing.
Founded in 2009, A Kid’s Place provides support to children in the foster care system. Its home-like, residential program assists children from birth to age 18 who have been removed from their parent’s care because of abuse, neglect, or abandonment. In addition to offering services to meet the social, medical, educational, and psychological needs of foster children, A Kid’s Place puts a special emphasis on keeping siblings together in a safe, stable, and nurturing environment.
“We are absolutely thrilled and thankful for everyone who helped us reach this incredible milestone,” said Brad Gregory, CEO of A Kid’s Place. “Our community has shown us their extraordinary generosity, and their support of our much-needed mission. These funds will go a long way in supporting the children we assist.”
This year’s Fostering Hope Gala is the first in-person event held by the non-profit since the COVID-19 pandemic. It was delayed several months so that organizers could secure an outdoor location that allowed for social distancing and other COVID-19 health and safety precautions.
As more people have been vaccinated and sporting events, such as golf tournaments have been held locally, leaders with A Kid’s Place believed they could move forward with the event while offering a safe environment for guests.
“This year’s event was successful beyond our wildest expectations, and a true testament that our community is bouncing back from the pandemic,” added Homes by WestBay Vice President and CFO, Beth Bradburn, who is also the incoming Vice Chair of the non-profit’s Board of Directors. “After a year of observing proper precautions, our guests were thrilled to enjoy a five-star evening and donate to an organization that helps our community’s most vulnerable kids.”
Funds raised from the Fostering Hope Gala are used to directly assist in the essential daily health and welfare needs of the children it serves, including food and clothing, health and welfare necessities, fun activities, and maintenance needs for A Kid’s Place residential facility.
Homes by WestBay has been committed to A Kid’s Place for several years. As the largest locally owned, privately held homebuilder in Tampa Bay, Homes by WestBay leadership strongly believes in giving back to the local community not only through financial contributions, but also through their time and service. The company was also integral in launching A Kid’s Place’s independent living program which helps high school graduates who are in the foster care system transition to living on their own.
To learn more about A Kid’s Place, visit www.AKidsPlacetb.org.
About Homes by WestBay – Founded in 2009, Homes by WestBay is Tampa Bay’s largest locally- owned, privately held homebuilder. Throughout Tampa Bay, including Pasco, Hillsborough, Polk and Manatee Counties, Homes by WestBay designs and develops the finest communities and best neighborhoods. We deliver exceptional quality and value in our price range, superior design and lead the market in customer satisfaction.
Homes by WestBay is a recognized Energy Star Market Leader, earned the 2019 Platinum Builder Award from the Annual Builder Achievement Awards Program through 2-10 Homebuyers Warranty, and has received numerous other awards from the Tampa Bay Builders Association and the Southeast Building Conference. For more information, visit www.HomesByWestBay.com or get social with us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
About A Kid’s Place – Founded in 2009 by Dottie Berger MacKinnon, A Kid’s Place was designed as a solution to issues regarding child welfare services in our community and is a model program in the child welfare system, adhering to and exceeding best practices in this field. Our Siblings Connected program and House Parent model are what make A Kid’s Place unique, as brothers and sisters are allowed to be placed together and begin to heal from the trauma they’ve endured in a safe and loving home-like environment.
A Kid’s Place of Tampa Bay has helped over 1,500 children and 665 families since inception. A Kid’s Place is CARF Accredited in Group Home Care and has received a Platinum Seal of Transparency from GuideStar. 84% of all funds raised directly supports our programs. For more information visit www.akidsplacetb.org or get social with us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.