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Valrico resident Rene Vojnovic reads a story to children in the Everyday Blessings program which is starting a Valrico branch.
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"My heart just goes out to the kids right here, literally in our backyard," says Valrico resident Rene' Vojnovic, a volunteer with Everyday Blessings.Founded in August of 1997 as a non-denominational, cooperative adoption agency and licensed by the State of Florida as a Child Placing Agency in July 1998, Everyday Blessings is the second Florida project of the Sisters of Holy Cross. The group's mission is to provide affordable cooperative adoption services to all parties in the adoption process - with the primary focus of finding safe, stable and permanent homes for children with special needs - like physical and emotional handicaps - multiple siblings adoption and older children.According to Vikki Reece, development director, Everyday Blessings is a program of the St. Francis Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit agency located in rural Thonotosassa. She says, "We provide services for children who have been abused, neglected and abandoned with the ultimate goal of locating safe, stable and permanent homes for each child."Vojnovic became involved with the group because she is an advocate for children. She said she doesn't think there is enough focus in the world, and in our community, on displaced children.Everyday Blessings' services consist of an adoption program (state subsidized and private); a foster care program and a residential group program for 30 children ages newborn to 10 years."Since our inception in 1999, Everyday Blessings facilitated an impressive 318 adoptions, licensed over 500 foster care families and provided residential care for 255 children," says Reece.Unlike traditional adoption agencies, Everyday Blessings takes a unique approach to placing children as the birth parents are involved in the process right from the start and adoptive parents are offered a choice of payment plans. According to its Website, many qualified, loving families are eagerly hoping to provide safe, stable and permanent homes for children, but have not been able to pursue the adoption process because of the often exorbitant fees that most adoption agencies charge which must be paid upfront before the process can even begin.With Everyday Blessings the birth parent has the opportunity to be part of the selection process, to meet the family who will care for the child and to feel secure that the child will have a good home, the adoptive parent has the opportunity to meet the birth parent, to recognize the courage it has taken to come to this decision and to ask questions about the family history, the child's preferences, medical history and the child has the opportunity to say "goodbye" to the birth parent and receives permission from the birth parent to say "hello" to the adoptive parent(s).Vojnovic, who owns Sprouts, an early learning center in Brandon (www.sproutskids.com), recently formed a Friends of Valrico Group to support Everyday Blessings. In March the Friends Group will host an Easter Party for the children and will also have a summer camp for the kids. According to Vojnovic, volunteers get comfort from knowing they made a difference. "You leave there wishing you could do more," she says."Volunteers are crucial to the success of Everyday Blessings and are always welcome. Volunteer involvement is based on a person's interest and available time," says Reece. "Volunteer activities can range from serving as a board director, rocking an infant, tutoring a school age child, mentoring a child, assisting with a special event like our golf tournament, gardening at the residential campus, painting a mural, conducting a birthday party for one of the children in the residential program and working in our thrift store, just to name a few examples. Activities can be a one-time project or on-going." Vojnovic recommends anyone with day or evening hours available volunteer anytime, any day, to hold a baby or hug a toddler or read a book."Just offer your arms," she says. "That's all they need."For more information, visit www.everydaybless.org or call 982-9226. To get involved in the Valrico Friends of Everyday Blessings, call Vojnovic at 653-2233.
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