 In
July, we lost a very special person in our family
– Ruth Eckerd. What always struck me about
my mother-in-law was her gentle determination
and the passion she had for young people, especially
those with troubled lives.
Anytime
we were with a group of children, the kids knew
instinctively that she was someone who genuinely
cared about them. They always chose to write to
her later – not because they thought she
was the most influential person in the room –
though she was – but because they felt attached
to her.
Perhaps
this letter in my morning mail from Krystal Harper,
a young woman who "aged out" of foster
care in Tampa, says it best: "My sincere
condolences on the passing of Mrs. Eckerd. She
was an inspiration to all of us. Her kindness
was evident in everything she was around. I can
recall once we had a press conference with Gov.
Bush, and she complimented me on how beautiful
a person I was. I said, 'No, Momma, that's you!'
She smiled and gave me a hug and kiss on the cheek.
I told her she was so tiny and reminded me of
the grandmother I never had. She went out of her
way to show kindness and she had a way of going
above and beyond, making us all feel special.
Her graciousness will never be forgotten. She
will always hold a special place in my heart.
She showed me with a little love and determination,
you can conquer any goal you put your heart and
mind to."
What
motivated Ruth? I believe she hated to see a young
person's potential wasted and she loved their
vitality. At the Eckerd Family Foundation, we
will continue to carry out her spirit and vision,
but we will greatly miss the gentle woman who
guided and inspired us.
Joe
Clark
Children's
Summit on October 6 To Forge New Policies to Benefit
Florida Children
 On
October 6, some 1,500 leaders, advocates, and
elected officials will gather at the Orlando Convention
Center for the full-day 2006 Florida Children's
Summit.
The
Summit aims to create a shared vision of Florida's
commitment to its children and families. The Children's
Summit also will launch a long-term process to
develop and implement strategies, including specific
legislative policy recommendations, to improve
the lives of children and families.
Among
the many issues to be discussed:
- Florida's
juvenile justice system
-
health care and prenatal care
-
positive youth development
-
early care and education
-
before and after-school programs
- child
abuse prevention and the needs of children in
the child welfare system
-
mental health and substance abuse treatment
The
Eckerd Family Foundation is pleased to be a sponsor
of this important Summit. "This summit is
a historic opportunity for policymakers and others
to work together to develop a more comprehensive
approach to the challenges facing children and
families," said Joe Clark, president of the
Eckerd Family Foundation. "That goal is very
much in keeping with the mission of the Eckerd
Family Foundation."
[read
the rest of the spotlight story]
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Orchids,
Butterflies and Youngsters Blossom at Key West
Botanical Garden
The
Key West Tropical Forest and Botanical Garden
is a one of a kind oasis, filled with birds, butterflies
and beautiful flowers – and schoolchildren
from the Monroe County school system, thanks to
a new grant from the Eckerd Family Foundation
that will support an Environmental Education Program.
Some 77 percent of children in Monroe County are
on free or reduced lunch and are considered vulnerable.
The Environmental Education Program will be established
over three years for students in kindergarten
through 12th grade.
The
grant will expand an existing program for high
school students with a partnership with Duke University
in which high school students are paired with
Duke graduate students. It also will support new
classes for elementary and middle school students
that will begin in September 2007 and spring/summer
2008, respectively. Students will visit the gardens
at least twice a year with the rest of the lessons
taught in the classroom. Science teachers also
will receive mentoring, peer-to-peer learning
and technical assistance. The Garden plans to
serve 5,000 students and teachers a year. The
lessons meet or exceed state and national standards
for science classes and will be taught by teachers
from the garden. Says Carolann Sharkey, board
chair of the Key West Botanical Garden Society:
"We want to make a difference in the next
generation thinking about another world. We want
the science and discovery aspect to play into
their everyday lives."
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Walk
a Mile in the Shoes of a Youth from Foster Care
From
Nov. 13 to Dec. 15, Florida's local and state
policymakers will "walk a mile" in the
shoes of youths who have aged out of foster care
to gain a better sense of what growing up in foster
care is like and the challenges faced by young
adults. Connected by 25 of Hillsborough County,
a program funded by the Eckerd Family Foundation
that links young people from foster care to the
supports they need, is spearheading the effort.
For example, policymakers might visit a college
and apply for financial aid, attend a job-training
program or try to apply for housing. The young
adults might attend a legislative hearing on a
proposed bill, tour the Capitol or go to a press
conference. "Walk-A-Mile" is a national
program that matches low-income people with policymakers
to "walk a mile in each other’s shoes."
Funded by the Anne E. Casey Foundation, it is
rooted in the principle that greater personal
understanding of issues by policymakers will lead
to the development of sounder public policy. The
program does not take a stand on policy. Rather,
it pairs those who make the policies with those
affected by the policies to provide an educational
opportunity for both. Policymakers have said it
has been one of the most meaningful experiences
they have had to help them to understand and relate
to the real issues of their lower-income constituents.
As a result, policymakers say they have become
more effective in their jobs. Low-income participants
have said that it empowered them to have a voice
in government and influence policy.
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Judge
Baumann Plays a New Role to Teens from Foster
Care: Super-Dad
The
other day, Judge Herbert J. Baumann, Jr., heard
a different kind of case. He had a slew of questions
for a high school senior, about to turn 18, who
wants to go to nursing school. When will she take
the SATs? Can we find funding for an SAT prep
course? Where does she want to apply? Another
young man, turning 18 this month, works part-time
at a gourmet foods store and is finishing his
GED. Can we help this young man find his own apartment,
the judge wanted to know.
Those
teens in Judge Baumann's court weren’t charged
with delinquency. Instead, they all are about
to age out of foster care.
Baumann,
administrative judge for the Unified Family Court
in Hillsborough County, is embarking on a pilot
project – the first of its kind in Florida
– to better keep foster teens on track.
He only half jokingly calls it a "super-dad"
role.
With
support from the Eckerd Family Foundation for
a case manager, Baumann plans to bring all teenagers
in licensed foster care to his courtroom to better
coordinate services and support for them. Baumann
already handles foster teens charged with delinquency,
which comprise a quarter of all teens in foster
care. On Oct. 1, Baumann started seeing all foster
teens "so we can look at them individually
and see what services and support and guidance
they need for the transition to adulthood,"
he said. "I have access to and am aware of
other community resources available to help them."
[read
the rest of the story]
[back
to topics]
Teens
from Foster Care Open Bank Accounts, Start Financial
Independence
 Connected
by 25 held a press conference on July 29 at Washington
Mutual Bank in Tampa because 30 teens from foster
care made their first bank deposits. The Eckerd
Family Foundation provided the funds, allowing
most of the youth to deposit $125 into their savings
and $25 into their debit accounts. The celebration
included a DJ, games and sandwiches. As the youth
make additional deposits, the foundation will
match each young person’s savings up to
$1,000 for the purchase of assets, such as establishing
small businesses and paying for tuition, medical
expenses, apartment deposits, cars, and homes.
Washington Mutual staff taught the banking sections
of the financial literacy classes and waived monthly
maintenance fees and minimum balance requirements
for the teens. Read
the St. Petersburg Times story.
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Ruth
Eckerd – Mother to Seven and Role Model
to Thousands – Passes Away
 Ruth
Binnicker Swann Eckerd raised seven children –
but in reality, she played a significant role
in the lives of tens of thousands of children
in Florida and other states. Mrs. Eckerd, a Tampa
native, passed away on July 18 in the company
of her family at her home on Brushy Face Mountain
in Highlands, N.C. Mrs. Eckerd was preceded in
death by her husband, Jack M. Eckerd, founder
of Eckerd Drugs in Florida, whose company grew
into one of the nation’s most successful
drugstore chains. The Eckerds strongly believed
it was the obligation of everyone to contribute
to their community and to fulfill leadership roles.
Together, she and her husband were generous supporters
of the arts, education, health care and social
service organizations, and she was a shrewd philanthropist
who wanted to make sure her gifts had impact.
Charming and stylish, Mrs. Eckerd was soft-spoken,
gentle and caring, but she had a steely side when
it came to ensuring that at-risk youth had opportunities
to succeed. Nearly 40 years ago, Mrs. Eckerd and
her husband founded Eckerd Youth Alternatives,
a not-for-profit organization based in Clearwater,
Fla., that serves nearly 10,000 troubled children
a year. She wasn't shy about going to Tallahassee
to seek funds for troubled youth and visiting
outdoor therapeutic programs, even rafting down
the Mississippi. She served on the Board of Directors
of the Eckerd Family Foundation and spent much
time caring for others. She was a volunteer in
the Meals on Wheels program and mentored children
with reading difficulties. She also served on
the boards of the Ruth Eckerd Hall, the center
for performing arts in Pinellas County, and the
Morton Plant Meese Hospital Foundation. Those
wishing to make memorial donations may consider
these organizations in Clearwater: Community Pride
Child Care, Eckerd Youth Alternatives Scholarship
Fund and Ruth Eckerd Hall Educational Fund.
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 The
Eckerd Family Foundation is committed to promoting
meaningful and lasting change to transform the
lives of vulnerable youth and their families.
The foundation's mission provides leadership and
support for innovative educational, preventative,
therapeutic and rehabilitative programs for children,
youth and their families. The foundation awarded
these new grants in August:
EDUCATION
 Hillsborough
Education Foundation, Inc.
$80,000
Tampa, Fla.
Funding Project SUCCESS at the Bowers/Whitley
Career Center. The school is one of four career
centers within the Hillsborough County School
System, offering vocational and career education
options to students not attending traditional
high schools. The scholarship funds will provide
students the financial ability to complete their
high school diplomas, including the purchase of
special materials, tools and testing and certification
costs, and support to pursue post-secondary education
opportunities. The funds will serve an estimated
430 students, ages 14 to 18, who are currently
enrolled and 60-75 of the annual graduates.
FOSTER
CARE
Community
Based Care of Brevard 
$78,125
Melbourne, Fla.
Providing a seven-month planning grant to explore
implementation of a "Connected by 25"
site in Brevard County for older youth in the
foster care system. An environmental scan will
be conducted to assess the assets available for
youth aging out of the foster care system. Partnerships
with local youth-serving agencies will be formed,
a project lead will be hired and youth will be
consulted on all levels of design, decision-making,
and ultimately, in the choice of an easily accessible
program site. An estimated 150 youth, ages of
13 and 23, will be served by the program. Implementation
will promote the work of the existing Interdependent
Living Training Curriculum, created in partnership
with EFF and the Children's Home Society and used
today in CBCB's independent living programs for
youth. This grant will support the strategic expansion
of the Connected by 25 program.
YOUTH
IN TRANSITION
Camelot
Community Care, Connected by 25
$36,900
Tampa, Fla.
Supporting the Connected by 25 (Cby25) Unified
Court Project overseeing cases of cross-system
youth with both foster care and juvenile justice
involvement and youth transitioning from foster
care. The project, designed by a circuit court
judge, represents a first-of-its-kind collaboration
between the foster care system, the Department
of Juvenile Justice of Hillsborough County, the
Guardian ad Litem office and the Hillsborough
County School System.
A
court liaison position will work with the attorney
general’s office, DJJ, the child welfare
agency and the Clerk of the Court so that all
cross-system youth and foster care youth ages
16-18 will appear before one judge in a special
judicial review at least every six months. Each
youth will be present so that their individual
voices can be heard. The court will review the
foster care placement history, their current DJJ
status, their educational services plan, their
employment training plan and their life skill
training. In addition, each teen will be provided
with a GAL attorney to represent their interests
in court.
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