A nonprofit in Valrico is providing a safe space for those who have aged out of foster care.
Tucked away in this part of Hillsborough County, the Forgotten Angels have their own little slice of Florida paradise.
Sprawled across dozens of acres, Cindy Tilley and David Tyler run a safe haven, a turning point, for teens and young adults who have aged out of the system, many who have no other options.
There are rules here, like having a job or going to school, paying rent on their tiny home, learning life skills and managing their money.
In so many ways, they offer support, a helping hand, to those who need it most.
"A lot of the kids that we get that are coming out of foster care, or they're at risk, or they've been homeless, they don't have their high school diploma, their GED, their driver's license, they don't have any of these things," Tilley said. "So it's so important that they end up in a place like Forgotten Angels because you have to move them forward in a positive way, or they're going to be out there on the streets homeless. And that's no place for kids to be."
"Seeing every single one of our boys right now has a driver's license, every single one of our boys, even DJ, who's in school, has a part-time job. So they recognize that if they want the things that they tell us that they want, there's one way to get it's to work for it," said Tyler.
In turn, the community turns out to support the Forgotten Angels, too.
They are always accepting donations like blankets and clothes and, of course, volunteers.
Right now, they are holding a raffle for a $250,000 home.
Click hereto take part and find out more information.
