“Children are the world’s most valuable resource and its best hope for the future.” – John F. Kennedy
The Carl Angus DeSantis Foundation (CADF) recently awarded the first grants in its history with gifts to the Indaba Foundation and 4Kids of South Florida.
We are extremely excited to support two special non-profits that are changing young lives right here at home in South Florida and across the globe in South Africa.
Both organizations address the foundation’s areas of interest especially health, civic innovation, and leadership. 4Kids also ticks the faith-based box that is important to our founder and board of directors.
The Indaba Foundation
The Indaba Foundation serves an area of South Africa where Mr. DeSantis spent many years as owner/operator of Kwandwe, an eco-tourist resort. While in South Africa, Mr. DeSantis and his associates invested in charitable endeavors designed to teach residents how to succeed in business.
The goal was to teach skills that will give people a sustainable path out of poverty and toward financial independence.
The Indaba Foundation has a similar philosophy that attracted us.
Based in New York City, Indaba believes in empowering women by investing in teacher training that benefits the most vulnerable women and children in South Africa.
“For every 10 teachers we train, we are positively impacting thousands of children,” says Andre Shearer, Chairman of the Indaba Foundation. “We do this by rolling out teacher training that economically empowers women and educationally uplifts the children in their communities.”
We were taken by that innovative approach to breaking the cycle of poverty and especially the focus on early childhood which sets the tone for lifelong learning.
Indaba believes in the Montessori method of education which has been proven to be effective.
CADF invested to train early childhood teachers in the Western Cape. We are excited by the -potential of the program and the results of prior efforts. We were especially taken by Indaba’s collaboration with the area’s large Wine industry and other agri-businesses. Local businesses are encouraged to invest in teacher training in their area and are acknowledged for their efforts.
Efforts like these plant seeds for the future. Teachers get valuable training and children are nurtured.
4Kids
4Kids is a non-profit that we have gotten to know well.
We are proud to support their efforts to help children in crisis.
The Carl Angus DeSantis Foundation invested in the following 4Kids initiatives:
The EPIC Therapy Program:
The EPIC therapy program has grown to be a much-needed service as children have experienced unprecedented trauma in these unusual times. We learned that children of all ages are coming to 4Kids offices for trauma therapy including a tiny 6-month-old infant that came to 4Kids from a local emergency room with 17 broken bones during the height of the pandemic. We are happy to report that Mia is walking, talking and just celebrated her 2nd birthday with her newly adoptive family (those who fostered her). Our investment helps to ensure that all foster and adoptive children in trauma, regardless of whether they have insurance will receive the ongoing care they need to move through traumatic experiences and go on to be productive at school and at home.on’t overthink it. The beauty of your story is that it’s going to continue to evolve and your site can evolve with it. Your goal should be to make it feel right for right now. Later will take care of itself. It always does. Be clear, be confident and don’t overthink it. The beauty of your story is that it’s going to continue to evolve and your site can evolve with it. Your goal should be to make it feel right for right now. Later will take care of itself. It always does.
EPIC Therapy Project Description
Developed in 2014, the EPIC Therapeutic Approach model provides client-centered, trauma-informed therapy to children in crisis and their foster, adoptive, and biological families. Based on research in trauma-informed care and innovative therapeutic models, EPIC equips families with tools to tackle mental and emotional trauma and create lasting change.
The model focuses on the Emotional (E), Physical (P), Intellectual (I), and Character (C) needs of children who have experienced trauma because of abuse, neglect, or abandonment. EPIC utilizes methods that assist children holistically and address root issues of attachment, social competency with peers, language, and self-regulation. EPIC is based on cutting edge, evidence-based research in the field of child development, as well as the Trust-Based Relational Intervention® Model (TBRI) developed by Texas Christian University’s Institute of Child Development.
Foster Family Recruitment and Family Advocacy Ministry
Recruiting, licensing and training stable, dedicated foster families is an ongoing need. 4KIDS spends a great deal of time looking for nurturing foster parents, training them and supporting them through their journey. The FAM, Family Advocacy Ministry is an effort to engage the faith-based community in creating support groups in neighborhoods near each foster family. These FAM teams drop off meals, help with birthday parties, gather items that are needed like strollers, car seats, etc. They wrap around each family with loving support to help them in their fostering experience. It encourages these families when times are tough, and members of the community receive great joy in supporting families in their own backyards.
Our investment will assist 4Kids with their goal of recruiting, licensing, and training 56 new foster families/homes in FY22.
So, as you can see, we are off to a good start!
We look forward to keeping you posted as the CADF ramps up to make a difference in our community and our world.
