Our Community Went Above & Beyond in Supporting Former Foster Youth Through Back-to-Back Hurricanes

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When our entire community faced the unprecedented challenges brought on by back-to-back hurricanes, your commitment to supporting former foster care youth endured. Thanks to your unwavering generosity during this difficult time, the Skill Center remained a sanctuary for the young adults we serve and their children. We were able to provide critical relief: a cool space to rest, hot meals, mental health support, and access to shower and laundry facilities. Beyond immediate needs, our team helped young adults navigate housing displacement, lost wages, education disruptions, and employment challenges—all while providing essential items like food and water, new clothing, and baby supplies.

This comprehensive support was only possible because of YOU, and your steadfast commitment to line up beside those we serve when they needed it most. Our hearts are with those in our community who suffered losses this hurricane season, and we thank you for helping us ensure former foster youth in our community weren't left to weather these storms alone.

Thank you to all who supported Hurricane Preparation, Recovery, and Relief at the RFL Skill Center:

First Presbyterian Church of Dunedin Harborside Christian Church Holy Trinity Church Clearwater Indian Rocks Beach Rotary Pinellas Park Rotary MVA Minn Reg Honeywell Employees Clearwater Church of the Ascension Suncoast Classic Events The Thomas Family Mary Bennett Terry Binz Samantha Bovat Martha Byrne Laura Connelly Jamelle Conner Joseph Craig Mark Damato Betty Deitch Jeremy Doran George Doran Dana Echols

Helen Feinberg Whitney Fitzpatrick Lana ForbesAnn Gottlieb Patti Holland Ruth Johnson Carol Kairis Jack Links Shelbey Mastronardo Christine McFadden Kathy Middleton Denise Rodriguez Julia Scanlon Christine Schumaker Debbie Sembler Gwenda Starr Amey Carol Steckel Dionne Sullivan Nicole Swecker Sue Webb Jeff Wilson

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Community Love Flows Through Free Laundry Assistance

Our young parent families affected by this year's hurricanes faced the overwhelming task of salvaging their belongings. Thanks to the Laundry Love program at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Clearwater, what would have been an expensive and daunting amount of laundry was handled at no cost to our families. The dedicated Laundry Love team took care of washing, drying, and folding all the laundry, while volunteers from Harborside Christian Church provided transportation to and from the laundromat. 

Thanks to the help of our dedicated community partners, these young parents were able to restore clothing, bedding, and other household items, and saved an enormous amount of money in their recovery efforts. 

If you’d like to be a community partner with RFL, please contact MWalag@readyforlifepinellas.org to schedule a tour or visit readyforlifepinellas.org/volunteer to register.