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Counting On More Blessings

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By JOYCE McKENZIE, The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 15, 2007

Updated: 12/13/2007 06:34 pm

THONOTOSASSA - Imagine being an 8- or 9-year-old foster child without the stability of loving parents or a permanent place to call home.

On the other hand, envision living in a community where you are welcomed into a secure, committed family environment and surrounded by people of all ages who care about your well-being.

Although it may appear as simply a pipe dream to some caregivers, Sister Claire LeBoeuf, Everyday Blessings' founder and president, considers the idea doable.

"The future of abused and neglected children is in our hands," said LeBoeuf, who has overseen the not-for-profit, nondenominational adoption agency and residential care facility for foster children in Thonotosassa since it opened in 1998.

Her plan, backed by other Everyday Blessings supporters, is to build the Village at Everyday Blessings. It's projected to be a multigenerational community off U.S. 301 on a 72-acre site that is also the home to the adoption agency and foster care facility.

The village will offer up to 40 youngsters - children who often languish in foster care for years because they aren't adopted - just such an opportunity.

"We're committed to seeing this happen but, of course, it's going to take money," said LeBoeuf, who hopes individuals and businesses will consider earmarking their year-end contributions to ensure the vision will become a reality.

Its site plan consists of 10 seven-bedroom houses where each set of parents willing to adopt four children -- which may include one child 8 or older and his siblings - can live together temporarily. Parents will pay a minimal rental fee until the family has bonded and the parents are able to make a down payment on a permanent home of their own. Financial planners will be available to assist them in achieving that goal.

Clustered among the housing units would be three dozen two- and three-bedroom apartments for seniors who would take on the role of surrogate grandparents to support the parents and help nurture the children.

Also planned are a multipurpose building with a large dining area and several activity rooms, a chapel with conference room, an administration complex, staff residences and pastor's quarters. The projected cost is about $20 million.

"My goal is to raise $50 million because I also want to have an endowment fund to manage the buildings and provide the quality of service we plan to give," said LeBoeuf, who hopes to kick off the project's capital campaign by late spring and begin construction in early 2009.

"In Hillsborough County, I believe, there are over 4,000 children in foster care, and of that group a good 500 fit into the category we are going to be dealing with," LeBoeuf said. "Certainly, adoption is the best option."

The project is modeled after the Hope Meadows program in Rantoul, Ill., where older foster children have partnered with their adoptive parents within a community of supportive seniors.

"It would be great if we could pull some money in and keep the ball rolling," said Frank Cooke, Everyday Blessings children's programs expansion coordinator. "There is a small group that has kept the vision going, but what we need to do is to expand our network."

Tim Smith, vice president of Dallas I Construction, has been involved with Everyday Blessings for a couple of years.

"Everyday Blessings puts 36 kids in a good place now, but they'll have to deal with adulthood," he said. "So the village will help not only our community but our state and our nation as a whole."

Chris Ward, former executive director of Hillsborough Kids Inc. and member of the Village at Everyday Blessings Advisory Council, agreed.

"The village is a big approach in providing children and families with permanency and an intergenerational support system," Ward said. "I hope people will give generously."

For details, call Everyday Blessings at (813) 932-9226, Ext. 234, or visit www.every bless.org and www.ebvillage .org. Donations may be sent to Everyday Blessings Foundation, 13133 St. Francis Lane, Thonotosassa FL 33592.

Reporter Joyce McKenzie can be reached at (813) 865-4849 or jmckenzie@tampatrib.com.

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