The Gary & Vivienne Player Foundation shone a spotlight on one of their non-profit beneficiaries, Place of Hope. Place of Hope was recognized for their outstanding work in providing vital support and opportunities for vulnerable children, further highlighting the collaborative spirit and collective impact at the heart of the Foundation’s mission.
Foster Care Awareness Month
While children in foster care often experience multiple placement disruptions while in the system, we strive to meet their critical needs by providing structure, stability, consistency and growth opportunities. While many siblings in foster care are forced to live apart, we strive to reunify brothers and sisters and maintain crucial family relationships.
Our Neighborhood Foster Care Cottages are located in a safe and serene gated neighborhood.
Although individual circumstances and the courts determine the precise length of stay for each child, we strive to provide a stable and loving family home for children until they either attain permanency (family reunification or adoption) or are of age to live independently. Our proven effective model employs professionally trained live-in cottage parents caring for no more than six children in each family cottage. They devote their full time, talents, and energies to the children, creating a stable and structured traditional family setting. This promotes skills and social development, preparing children for life’s challenges and independence.
Together, children learn core values such as love, responsibility and character. They learn about healthy relationships and seek true healing as their basic needs are met. Place of Hope is meeting desperate needs within our community and creating a blueprint for other communities.
Meet 2024 Graduate Aaliyah!
“I have been in the foster care system for 14 years. I just turned 18 years old. Early on, I was raised by my grandparents, and eventually placed into foster care. Traveling from my grandparents and then different placements, I never knew what stability was. At a young age, my mind was filled with so much emotional trauma and neglect that it forced me to believe that I was never capable of being loved. That is until I came to Place of Hope.
I came to Place of Hope believing that it was just another placement and that I wouldn’t be there for long. I believed that my house parents would easily give up on me like everyone else had always done. Thankfully, it was exactly the opposite.
Seeing my brokenness, they loved me even more. They took me in and genuinely cared for me like no one else ever had. My house parents and Place of Hope didn’t want to give up on me and they did everything they could to show me I mattered. Because of the stability and love offered, this allowed me to focus on my education. They encouraged me to maintain outstanding grades and that gained me a law scholarship at a private college preparatory school, The Kings Academy. I began to gain confidence and momentum. At TKA, I took every opportunity offered to me. I joined the law program where I took trips to Harvard University and Chicago to compete in Mock Trial national championships. I was deemed ‘most inspirational student’ of my classes and was asked to give a speech at Graduation. This was all made possible because of Place of Hope and my house parents who never stopped loving me and most importantly, who never gave up on me.” Aaliyah
Aaliyah just graduated from The Kings Academy with programs of distinction including Christian Leadership Distinction and Law Distinction with a Prefect stole and chords that include National Honor Society, Math National Honor Society, Math National Honor Society, Tri-M Music Society, Varsity Mock Trial, Community Service 250+ Hours, Most Inspirational Christian, Senior Superlative and Outstanding Citizenship. She received the Frederick Douglas Scholarship, the highest awarded scholarship at TKA. Aaliayh will be attending the Hillsdale law program in fall!
We are so incredibly proud of Aaliyah and all of our 2024 graduates!
