Better Together, a nonprofit dedicated to families and children, recently honored members of the Tampa Bay region who have gone above and beyond to serve the mission of Better Together.
“Our donors, volunteers, partners and supporters help families to overcome devastating crises and to rise up stronger than ever,” said Megan Rose, CEO of Better Together. “While all of our supporters have a vital role in our success, we were honored to recognize several individuals and organizations for their tremendous generosity and support.”
Better Together recognized supporters for their impact in Tampa Bay during the Doing Good Together appreciation reception held May 25 at Great Bay Distributors in St. Petersburg. Honorees include:
- Host Family of the Year was presented to Teri and Jack Little for hosting eight children in their home. Better Together is grateful for all that they do to care for vulnerable children in the community.
- Doug Campbell Generosity Award was presented to Great Bay Distributors for their generous financial support of Better Together’s programs.
- Community Partner of the Year was presented to Bayfront Health St. Petersburg for introducing Better Together to many families in the community who can benefit from its services.
- Church of the Year was presented to Bridgepoint Church, specifically Melanie Brenner, for supporting Better Together. Bridgepoint Church hosted two church launches, recruited host family and family advocate volunteers through two volunteer trainings and supports Better Together with a monthly contribution.
- Department of Children and Families Partner of the Year was presented to Kelsie Nury for always being available and willing to go the extra mile with the families she serves. She has connected Better Together to many families and because of her, Better Together has been able to help so many families.
- Super Volunteer of the Year was presented to Liz Lavelle for always going above and beyond to serve families and volunteers in multiple ways.
- Mentor of the Year was presented to Hana Petersen, who has been impactful in connecting with parents, being relatable and meeting mothers exactly where they are at.
Better Together is made up of two programs – Better Families and Better Jobs – that help parents who are going through a hard time to keep their kids out of foster care, find work and address the root causes of their struggle so that they can reunite as a family with the tools and support system to thrive.
With the help of donors and hundreds of volunteers and church communities, Better Together builds lasting support systems that help families cope with hardships – such as job loss, substance abuse, homelessness and jail time – and ensures that children are cared for in a safe home until the family can be reunited. To date, the program has served over 5,400 children and kept 98% of families together, while helping 39,000 job seekers across 22 states find employment.
ABOUT BETTER TOGETHER:
Better Together is a nonprofit organization that helps parents going through a hard time keep their kids out of foster care, find work and address the root causes of their struggle so that they can reunite as a family with the tools and support system to thrive. A privately funded and professionally supported organization, Better Together is made up of volunteers who believe helping people help themselves is the best way to restore dignity and bring families together. Through the Better Families program, families are offered a preventive alternative to foster care while they get the help they need. To date, the program has kept 98% of children served out of foster care. The Better Jobs program was created to address the 76% of families that come to Better Together because of economic hardship tied to unemployment. In addition to community job fairs, the program offers job seekers coaching, guidance, support and encouragement through local church partners. For more information, visit BetterTogetherUS.org.
