FFC started with one main program, Project Enrichment. The main focus is to provide enrichment activities to children in the foster care system. This program provides a wide range of items and activities for children, such as school clothes, karate classes, summer camp, sports fees and equipment, computer packages, music lessons and Christmas gifts.
Boosting self-confidence and self-esteem is a major goal of FFC. These children are able to explore new activities and find hidden talents that would otherwise go unknown.
For Winegard Andrew Exis, 24, piano lessons provided by Friends of Foster Children helped him develop a lifelong passion for music. “If it wasn’t for them I don’t even think I would have been able to take piano lessons,” Exis said. “It just allowed me to stay grounded and it allowed me to venture off into another area that I’d never thought about before.” (excerpt from Naples Daily News Article)
Project Enrichment is a volunteer run program. These volunteers work diligently to get the most “bang for their buck.” That is, they shop carefully for items requested, and approach vendors to see if discounts can be obtained or items donated. With this attitude, FFC has been able to negotiate significant reductions in the cost of summer camps, clothing, music and recreational lessons, etc. As a group, these volunteers they have logged more than 9,000 volunteer hours in the last year.
