Tallahassee, FL — Children’s Home Society (CHS) connects parents and their children to vital resources, empowering them to reach their full potential. Working in fourteen locations throughout Florida, CHS gathers providers and families together to ensure health, education, family services, and technology resources are available to those who need them most.
On Tuesday, November 28, CHS of the Big Bend, serving over a dozen counties around Florida’s capital city, held a candlelight ceremony celebrating the accomplishments and efforts of eight standout volunteers and partners of 2017. Among those honored at the celebration was ISF’s own CEO, Cyndy Loomis, who received the Victoria “Vicky” L. Weber Youth Advocacy Mentor Award for her work in CHS services benefiting area youth.
Former CHS Board Chair Denise Wilson presented Cyndy with her award, thanking her for her role in CHS accomplishments. In addition to being instrumental in the establishment of the Tech Success program, an effort that seeks to even the technological playing field for disadvantaged children by giving them access to online training, Cyndy also serves as the Board Development Chair, supports the Early Steps program, and has served on the Jacksonville CHS board. With Cyndy’s dedication and support, CHS has been able to provide 86 children access to the Tech Success program, allowing them to advance their skills and realize their career goals and personal aspirations. Cyndy and her husband Walt also serve as the host family for students participating in the Senate Page program, which overall has brought 75 CHS youth to Tallahassee to get an up-close view of the legislative process and envision broader possibilities for their own futures.
Other honorees included 2015–2017 Board Chair Mike Friedman, who received an award of recognition for his service; Special Events Award recipient Michel Gregory; Lauren Faison, who received the Special Event Volunteer Award for her work on the 2016 and 2017 Chefs’ Sampler events; the Community Partner of the Year, the Turner Foundation; Linda Wilkie, who received the CHS Advocacy Appreciation Award; the Corporate Partner of the Year, Big Bend Community Based Care; and Gil Ziffer, who was presented with the Dave Thomas Child Advocate of the Year Award.
The evening was a success, bringing together volunteers and beneficiaries supporting CHS accomplishments. Echoing the sentiment shared by those present at the ceremony, Cyndy says, “It is easy to dedicate time, effort, and funding to support CHS’s mission because its services directly allow our area’s children to achieve their greatest potential.”