Casa Valentina receives grants from Grove groups

Casa Valentina Executive Director Wanda Finnie, Rotarian Dave Snyder.

The Rotary Club of Coconut Grove awarded a grant of $4,000 to Casa Valentina, which provides housing accommodations and support services to those who have aged out of foster care.

The check was presented by Rotarian Dave Snyder to Wanda Finnie, Executive Director of Casa Valentina, at a luncheon held at the Coconut Grove Sailing Club.  Rotarian Joe King then presented Wanda with a check, a grant from the Thelma Gibson Health Initiative.  These grants will help support Casa Valentina’s life skills program. 

 “On behalf of all of us at Casa Valentina, both residents and staff, I thank you for believing in us.  We cannot accomplish what we do without community support,” Wanda said. 

In addressing the Club, Wanda stated that Casa Valentina’s life skills program addresses five key areas: education, employment, self care, money management, and daily living.  There is a highly qualified team of professionals that meets individually and in groups with all residents several times a week to convey these skills.

Casa Valentina, founded in 2006, provides youth who age out of foster care with up to two years of safe affordable housing, life skills training and the support services they need to become successful independent adults. Most importantly, it provides the security of a caring supportive team. “Casa Valentina becomes their family,” Wanda stated. 

At the present time, 14 young women reside at Casa Valentina in Coconut Grove, and housing and services for 7 young men are provided in partnership with Camillus House and Our Kids. 

The Rotary Club of Coconut Grove provides service and financial support to initiatives within the community as well as to various international humanitarian  projects.  Locally, it has funded after-school programs, youth sports, and health initiatives. Meetings are held every Thursday at 12:15 pm at the Coconut Grove Sailing Club, 2990 S. Bayshore Drive.