About UsFostering Hope Florida is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to providing help to foster children and foster families in the Tampa Bay area. We provide homes, called Hope Houses, to foster parents who are interested in fostering siblings in foster care in Pinellas, Pasco and Hernando counties. We rely on donations to provide foster families with the necessary things to maintain an enriched family life. Foster children often come from difficult backgrounds and need a lot of nurturing, support and love from their foster families to help them enjoy the childhood they deserve.
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Board of Directors
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Gloria West-Lawson
President / Founder / Volunteer Executive Director Gloria West Lawson has been an ardent advocate for foster youth and families. After obtaining her BA from Eckerd College in Human Development Services, Gloria worked for Family Resources teen shelter and the Child Abuse Prevention Project at the University of Florida. She also served as a Guardian ad Litem advocating for the best interest of children for 10 years. In 2004, she founded Fostering Hope Florida to push for a more compassionate system of foster care that honors and protects the rights of children. Fostering Hope has served thousands of children in foster care through housing, resources, events, advocacy, mentoring and educational programs and continues to expand its reach.
Gloria and her husband, Jerry have fostered several teenagers and adopted 4 teenage boys from the foster care system. In 2017 she was recognized by the Lightning Foundation as a Community Hero. In 2019 she was named Outstanding Advocate for Children of the Year by Florida’s Children First. She leads by example and continues to support youth throughout the community. |
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Patty Hole
Vice President Patty Hole has a company that makes life easier for our elderly in their own homes. Her passion has always been to help children, and Fostering Hope Florida caught her heart.
"These kids need so much, and we are dedicated to help in a way that will make a difference in their lives. We are committed to keep them safe with a loving and surrounding comfort level." |
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Wendy Pike
Secretary Wendy Pike has a heart for foster children and has served as a volunteer and board member with Fostering Hope Florida for several years.
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Heather Strassel
Board Member Originally from Columbus, OH, I moved to sunny Florida towards the end of 2014 to start the next chapter of my life in the sunshine state. I currently work for a global ad/tech start-up company as a marketing strategist/analyst, and in my free time I love traveling and getting involved in the community. After meeting some wonderful folks on the board of Fostering Hope shortly after moving to Florida, I was inspired to help out and get involved with their organization. Every child in foster care deserves love, compassion, and the opportunity to live the life they want. The folks of Fostering Hope do everything in their power to make this dream a reality for foster youth, and I am truly humbled and honored to be a part of such a wonderful group making a positive impact.
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Raquelle Hale
Board Member Raquelle Hale first begun her experience in the social services field during an internship for a therapeutic foster care agency while attaining a bachelor's in Health and Human Services. After graduating she continued to follow her passion by working in multiple group homes and as a child welfare case manager in Hillsborough County. Currently Raquelle is the outreach coordinator at Pace Center for Girls and has completed her Masters in psychology and Human services. Raquelle begun volunteering with Fostering Hope in 2018 and enjoys spending time with Florida Youth Shine as a Mentor where she empowers current and Former Foster Youth to advocate for themselves.
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Michael Rivera
Board Member Michael Rivera is originally from Cleveland, OH. He grew up in Oldsmar, FL and currently resides in Clearwater, FL. He has worked for the private jet catering company Air Culinaire Worldwide in Tampa, FL, for the last 8 years. Michael has been on the board of Fostering Hope Florida for over 2 years. His main focus as a board member is coordinating fundraisers and charity events. He says he gets his charitable nature from his mother who taught him to help others and give back to the community from a very young age.
“I volunteer with FHF because it is an organization that makes real change in the foster community by empowering foster children and foster families. It is an organization that helps in a dignified and respectful way that makes people feel safe and comfortable." |
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Richard Nilsen
Chairman of the Board Rich Nilsen and his wife Marta answered a calling and started fostering in 2015. They later adopted two beautiful girls, their original foster placements, in 2018. The siblings found their forever home when they returned to them after an 18 month absence. Rich is director of marketing for an online business in Dunedin, and is a founder of All Star Press, a publishing company and marketing firm. His wife Marta homeschools their three daughters in Tarpon Springs, Florida.
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