Press Releases

HOMELESS CHILDREN BENEFIT FROM JUNIOR LEAGUE GENEROSITY

ORLANDO, Fla. — (May 5, 2007) — Thanks to the generosity of the Junior League of Greater Orlando, Florida, Inc. (JLGO), the children residing at the Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida’s Women’s Residential and Counseling Center (WRCC) have new educational and playground facilities at the place they call home. On average, 50 children per day live at this 126-bed transitional housing facility for women and children. Their average age is less than six years old.

"For the past 10 years, the Junior League has partnered with the Coalition, its members donating their time, talents, and resources to assist the homeless women and children at WRCC," said Coalition for the Homeless President/CEO Brent Trotter. "The new Learning Lab and Tot Lot being dedicated today are the latest examples of their commitment to improve the community through educational and charitable purposes. We are fortunate to have both their unwavering support and representation on our Board of Directors."

Knowing that the majority of WRCC's young residents are of pre-school age, the Junior League was responsible for the donation of $27,500 to fund the creation of a Tot Lot to meet the Coalition's equipment and layout specifications. They undertook the grading, mulching, landscaping, and fencing of the site, as well as the installation of the playground equipment. Completed in late spring 2006, this play area is already providing hours of supervised activity.

Equally committed to the WRCC's school-age population, JLGO worked diligently from summer 2006 through January 2007 to create an environment conducive to learning and to structure a complementary tutoring program. Their program development, expenditure of $7,000 in materials, hands-on renovation of available space, and parent conferences resulted in the fully-outfitted Learning Lab being dedicated today and its tutoring program, which began in February, to meet the academic needs of the students.

The Learning Lab focuses on reading, language arts and math, with special topics and programs to be added as needed. Tutoring sessions are held every other Thursday evening. Kindergarteners through second-graders are tutored from 7:00 p. m. to 8 p. m. and third through fifth-graders are helped from 8:00 p. m. to 9:00 p. m. Whenever possible, students will work one-on-one with an adult tutor. Should the school-age population at WRCC change, the lab will be flexible in accommodating students who wish to be served.

"The Junior League of Greater Orlando is pleased to continue our longstanding partnership with Coalition for the Homeless," said JLGO President Lisa Sheppard. "This past year, we have committed our time and resources to helping the youngsters at WRCC, as well as encouraging their mothers to take a greater role in their children's education through the new Learning Lab. We are extremely excited about the results and are dedicated to serving the children even more as the program gains momentum!"

Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida is the largest provider of homeless services in Central Florida and the largest residential facility for children. On any given night, nearly one of every three people served at our main campus and WRCC facilities is a child, with an average age of less than eight years old.

The Junior League of Greater Orlando is an organization of women committed to promoting volunteerism, developing the potential of women, and improving the community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable.

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