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Quick Links:
Why the Name “Turtle Nest Village?”
Walking on the beach, searching my mind for a name for
this organization, I stumbled over a mound of sand with baby turtles crawling
out. Some were heading toward the ocean, others toward the road. I cupped
the misdirected babies in my hand, one at a time, and carried them to the
ocean. Once in the water, they instinctively knew what to do.
I found myself overwhelmed by the parallels between the plight of sea turtles
and foster youth leaving the system. With guidance and loving support, the
chances of survival and success increase greatly.
Please look around our site and help us make a difference in the lives of
former foster youth by educating yourself and others about their plight.
Elizabeth Brown, LCSW
Founder and Executive Director, Elizabeth Brown, LCSW, created Turtle Nest Village after a decade of experience as a social worker raised her awareness about the plight of emancipated foster youth. While working with the Department of Children and Families in Los Angeles, Ms. Brown began studying programs across the nation that successfully transition emancipated foster youth into adulthood.
Upon returning to her native Palm Beach, she began educating the community about the need for a program for this much-neglected population. With the help of individuals, businesses, and foundations of South Florida and from around the country, she made Turtle Nest Village a reality.
Ms. Brown consults with child welfare agencies and professionals regarding the development and implementation of programs that enhance the lives of foster and former foster youth. She advocates on local, state, and national levels for changes in public policies that affect child welfare in America. Upon the request of the administration, Ms. Brown is currently teaching a graduate course in Social Work at Barry University.
She was named Social Worker of the Year in Palm Beach County in 2004, and in 2006 she was honored as advocate of the year by Florida’s Children First, Inc. Most recently, Elizabeth was the named a “Local Hero” of Palm Beach County by Bank of America, for making a significant impact on individuals, families, and the community at large; for inspiring others to volunteer for community service; and for being a catalyst for a new vision of life after foster care for our nation’s most vulnerable youth.
Elizabeth has several other roles in addition to acting as Executive Director,
including:
- Educating communities and policy makers on potential solutions to
reshape the future of foster care.
- Working in public and private partnerships to develop social service
programs and affordable housing options for homeless youth.
- Consulting with agencies and individuals interested in helping former
foster youth.
- Advocating for the development and implementation of public policies
locally and nationally to improve the lives of foster youth.
- Teaching graduate classes in the School of Social Work at Barry University.
- Consulting for Cornell University, specializing in training managers
and administrators at the New York Department of Social Services.
- Volunteering for various organizations that aid vulnerable populations.
"I believe that success is possible when self-effort
and opportunity meet." |
| --Elizabeth Brown |
Affiliations
NASW (National Association of Social Workers)
NILA (National Independent Living Association)
CWLA (Child Welfare League of America)
Palm Beach County Homeless Coalition
Palm Beach County Provider Forum
Florida’s Children First
History of Turtle Nest Village
Six years ago, there were no services for emancipated foster youth in Palm
Beach County. There was no system they could avail themselves of to help
them find housing, complete their GEDs, get counseling, or navigate the maze
of work-readiness options. And worst of all, they had no one to teach them
the basic life skills they should have been taught prior to their 18th birthdays.
Turtle Nest Village, founded in 2001, was created to fill the space between
childhood and adulthood with a safe place former foster kids can call home.
In our first year of providing services (2002), we delivered all components
of our program directly.
Over the subsequent four years, we pursuit of partnerships and collaborations with public and private agencies in Palm Beach County, and we were able to leverage funds and provide more services to more kids for less money. We sought out organizations that have core competencies in the services we originally provided directly. As a result of these efforts, a comprehensive system of service delivery is being delivered in Palm Beach County for the first time.
Today, we place each youth in their own home and a social worker/life coach connects them with community resources and provides: education, work readiness/job placement, life skills training, health care, counseling and mentoring.
As important as it is to provide direct services for the 18-year olds coming out of foster care, we realize that the skills we need to be self-sufficient in life should come much earlier. To fill this need, we have created a unique curriculum to coach the caregivers and caseworkers of the 13-17 year olds in foster care how to teach basic life skills. For the first time, we are not only addressing the consequences of our broken foster care system, but we are also healing the root causes.
Achievements
- 85% of Turtle Nest Village participants successfully complete our program.
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96% of our graduates are self sufficient and thriving in the community.
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Our administrative costs do not exceed 10%.
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We were one of the founders of the Palm Beach County Provider Forum, which
connects all child welfare organizations to work in partnership to deliver
a comprehensive, efficient and effective system of services for our most
vulnerable youth.
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Based on our success, five counties in Florida, five states, and several
private organizations have consulted with us and are implementing our “Best
Practices” program.
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We have co-created a life skills curriculum for 13-17 year olds currently
in foster care. When those youth leave foster care, they will be far better
equipped to deal with living independently than those who came before them.
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The Florida Legislator Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability
(OPPAGA) recently issued a report entitled ”Independent Living Standards
Recommended for Children in Foster Care.” The report recognizes Turtle
Nest Village as an ideal program serving foster youth transitioning into
adulthood.
- We were awarded the Bank of America “Neighborhood Excellence Award” in
recognition of for making a significant impact on individuals, families,
and the community at large.
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Our Turtle Nest Village offices are generously donated by Action Labor and
located in its corporate headquarters at 900 Osceola Drive, Suite 222, West
Palm Beach, Florida.
Turtle Nest Village Board of Directors
Elizabeth Brown, L.C.S.W., Founder and Executive Director
Christopher Fleming, President
Strategic Reality Services, LLC
CeCe Farris
Philanthropist
Vicki Halmos
Philanthropist & Producer
Debora Kerr
Florida Public Heath Institute
Diane LaRoe
Community Volunteer
Michael Lifshitz
Producer, Heads Up Production
Mary Martin Loder, Ph.D., Vice President
Writer, Editor
Ross Meltzer, Secretary
Philanthropist
Adela Sanchez
U.S. Trust, Vice President
Personal Wealth Management
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