Project Grow Graduation

Project Grow’s Inaugural Graduation Celebration

A formal celebration of Project Grow’s graduates has been on Adopt-A-Family’s wish list for years, and on May 16, the agency hosted its inaugural . The ceremony was designed to celebrate the achievements of the program’s fifth grade students as they transition out of the program, out of elementary school, and on to their next stage of development.

The event provided an opportunity for the 11 graduates and their families to reflect on their elementary school years at Project Grow. The students enjoyed dinner and cake and heard words of affirmation from their Project Grow teachers and AAF CEO Matt Constantine. Youth Success Coach Michelle Pinto encouraged them to stay connected with AAF in the future by participating in the Youth Success Program. After diplomas and gifts were distributed, the grads threw their caps in the air to celebrate this special rite of passage. 

Because Project Grow aims to instill a sense of stability in children who have faced the unpredictability of homelessness, it is important to take the time to mark these momentous transitions and reinforce a sense of continuity. We are proud to have begun the tradition of celebrating each graduation to help make that connection; the mission at AAF is a holistic one, providing resources, opportunities, and support for family members at every stage of life. While in Project Grow, students are provided with support to overcome academic, social, and emotional barriers so they are equipped to excel in and out of the classroom.

A special “thank you” goes out to the Committee for spearheading this endeavor with dedication and care. We are grateful for the many donors who made the event possible. We’d also like to acknowledge the amazing team of teachers, advisors, therapists, tutors, volunteers, and donors who have supported these students throughout their time in Project Grow.

Congratulations to our graduates!  We look forward to cheering you on in middle school and beyond!

Click here to view the event photo album on Facebook

Project Grow Graduation

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2024-08-16

Thank You for Equipping Agency Students for the 2024-25 School Year!

As part of our mission to provide stability to local families with children, Adopt-A-Family is dedicated to equipping the students we serve for success in school, particularly at the start of each new school year. We are grateful that our community of supporters shares this vision and regularly provides tangible assistance to students across all agency programs.

July and August were filled with donations, drives, and donor-driven events focused on ensuring that the hundreds of students we serve, including those experiencing homelessness as well as those living in agency housing, felt confident and ready to start the 2024-25 school year.

Thank you to our donors, funders, and generous community members who contributed new backpacks and supplies during this busy and exciting “Back to School” season:

  • In Jacob’s Shoes donated new shoes and 50 backpacks filled with supplies for children experiencing homelessness.
  • For the third year, The Barclay Philanthropic Club set up an assembly line in our Lake Worth office to fill the 48 backpacks they donated with supplies they collected.
  • Eleven individual TJ Maxx stores (District 23) collaborated to contribute boxes of supplies and 55 backpacks.
  • Jet Aviation donated 60 clear backpacks (required by many middle schools) and two carloads of school supplies and hygiene products collected by employees.
  • The BallenIsles Charities Foundation-funded School Readiness Program enabled 125 students experiencing homelessness to shop for $125 worth of new uniforms, supplies, and hygiene items at Walmart with their case manager.
  • Attendees and volunteers at Alton Town Center’s End of Summer Bash donated back-to-school items, including Ta Ta For Now organizers, who delivered two boxes of undergarments.
  • Palm Beach Day Academy supported the Back to School Bash at REACH.
  • A generous contribution from Florida Power & Light will meet back-to-school needs for students across all campuses.
  • The School District of Palm Beach County provided three new uniforms to each student at our Program REACH emergency shelter.
  • Zuhre’s World distributed backpacks to the kids in Project Grow summer camp.
  • Every child living in agency housing was provided a backpack and grade-appropriate school supplies through the Spirit of Giving’s Back to School PBC event.

Additionally, many private and individual donors dropped off backpacks, supplies, and hygiene items at our Lake Worth campus as well as Program REACH and the Homeless Resource Center. We’d like to extend a special thank you to Lynne Spozarsky (with the help of Kathleen Rose) who selected the Homeless Resource Center to be the recipient of the 25 backpacks and supplies she has donated to local students in need for many years.

We’d also like to thank followers of our Instagram and Facebook pages who made purchases from our Project Grow Teacher’s Amazon Wish List, which were delivered directly to the program classrooms to help them start the new school year strong.

Thank you all for your continued support for our children during back-to-school season and throughout the year!