Vita Nova Hosts Groundbreaking Ceremony on the Laszlo Fischer House

Vita Nova, an organization dedicated to addressing homelessness among young adults in Palm Beach County, hosted a special groundbreaking ceremony at Vita Nova Village in West Palm Beach on November 6, 2024. This significant event marked the beginning of a transformative Affordable Housing Project, made possible by a generous $1 million pledge from the Laszlo Fischer Foundation. The project will provide additional safe and stable housing at Vita Nova Village, along with essential support services for young people experiencing homelessness.

When completed, the Laszlo Fischer House will consist of 12 studio apartments and will house 12 youth. This monumental occasion included brief remarks from Jeff DeMario, CEO of Vita Nova, US. Rep. Lois Frankel (D-FL), Michael Fischer, president of the Laszlo Fischer Foundation, and Tammy Fields, Assistant County Administrator, Palm Beach County.

“This building will be a testament to my father and the love he had for children, especially those in need,” said Michael Fischer, president of the Laszlo Fischer Foundation. “We aim to end the stress and anxiety these young people feel by having a home waiting for them.”

Youth homelessness increased almost 13% year over year in Palm Beach County, and Vita Nova is committed to providing supportive housing for homeless youth aged 18 to 25. Thanks to the generous pledge, Vita Nova is making progress towards building the Laszlo Fischer House, which will offer more options for those in need.

“We are grateful to all our supporters, including our partners at iThink Financial, who joined us for the groundbreaking of this new building, made possible by the generosity of the Laszlo Fischer Foundation.,” said Jeff DeMario, CEO of Vita Nova, Inc. “This gift for a new building is a statement to older foster youth that they are loved and will always have a safe and affordable place to live. We are honored to be a part of Laszlo’s vision to end homelessness for older foster youth in Palm Beach County and beyond.”

Year to date, Vita Nova has seen nearly 700 youth come through their drop-in center doors- the Spot- the only drop-in center for homeless youth in our county.

Currently, Vita Nova Village is the nonprofit organization’s housing program for young adults ages 18-25 who have turned 18 in the foster care system or young adults in the community who are homeless. The program is designed to assist young adults to learn to live independently while completing goals related to school and work. Vita Nova Village is on a three-building campus encompassing 12 apartments with shared living rooms, kitchen, and bath areas. Young adults complete an application and interview process to determine if they are a good fit before they are considered for residency. They have the capacity for up to 31 young adults in their two and three-bedroom apartments.

About the Laszlo Fischer Foundation:

The mission of the Laszlo Fischer Foundation, a non-profit, 501 (c)(3) organization, is to provide safe, affordable housing for youth aging out of the foster care system. The Foundation is named in honor of Laszlo Fischer, a child Holocaust survivor who knew what it felt like to be removed from his home and not know what the future would hold for him. In 2020, Laszlo passed away from COVID-19, and his son, Michael, established this Foundation to keep the memory of his father alive and to celebrate his dad’s generous heart and love of children, especially those children in need of a helping hand. To donate, or learn more about the Foundation, visit LaszloFischer.org.

About Vita Nova:

Vita Nova is a safe bridge to independence for former foster care, LGBTQ, and other homeless youth through supportive housing, education, employment, and life skills training. Vita Nova, Inc., located in West Palm Beach, Florida, is comprised of three components: the Spot, Housing (The Village), and Independent Living.

Vita Nova means “new life” in Latin and was founded by Father Leo Armbrust, a man who believed that foster youth deserved a better quality of care. Through the Vita Nova team members’ efforts, volunteers, and benefactors, older foster and homeless youth can lead lives characterized by independence, self-determination, and personal responsibility.

To learn more about Vita Nova or to donate, visit vitanovainc.org or call 561.689.0035.