Shorecrest's Gifts to Foster Kids

ST. PETERSBURG – For many children in foster care, the idea of a Christmas wish list is nothing but a setup for disappointment.

When getting their basics needs met is a challenge, a foster child can only dream about a new bike, that perfect toy or an iPod.

To help those children, Shorecrest Preparatory School and the Guardian ad Litem program team up for an annual Holiday Gift Drive.

On Friday, Dec. 9, the newly built Shorecrest gym was lined wall to wall with gifts for children in the Guardian ad Litem program.

The program, which helps children that have been abused, abandoned or neglected, has been partnering with the school for more than a decade.

“This year we’re taking care of wish lists for 208 children, ranging from infants to young adults," said Su Stevens, director of Service Learning.

Sue Neville, Guardian ad Litem & Board President, said each year the students, parents and staff at Shorecrest impress her with their diligence and generosity.

“Shorecrest comes to us and says: ‘Have your children write out a wish list.’ And we are always hesitant to do that, because you don’t want to build a child’s hopes up,” Neville said. “But Shorecrest, the parents and the children always come through.”

Neville said some children write down a bike, a game or an iPod fully expecting not to get it. Getting those gifts, however, shows that people in the community cares about them, she said.

“So many children we deal with have not ever had a Christmas,” Neville said.

In Pinellas and Pasco counties, there are more than 3,000 children in the program.

The Guardia ad Litem program aims to be a voice and advocate for children who lack the adult support – and who have done nothing to deserve their misfortune.

“They are not the ones who have screwed up,” Neville said. “Mom or Dad or the caregiver did something.

“Mom and Dad have an attorney, all the adults are taken care of. But the children themselves don’t actually have a voice in court,” she added.

That’s where the Guardian ad Litem program comes in. The state appoints volunteers from the program to children going through the court process in foster care.

Neville said the program was designed so that every child has a "guardian," but there are not enough volunteers or funding to reach every child.

There are more than 2,000 children in foster care in Pinellas and Pasco who are not in the program for lack of resources.

Children who have a volunteer working with them get placed into a home mor quickly, Neville said.

“Our mission is that every child will have an advocate in court,” Neville said.