Flite Center West Palm Beach Launches Its Inaugural Flite Center Gunther Motor Company Collective Impact Awards Presented By SFBW

On February 27 At The Studio At The Ben Autograph Collection Hotel

CBS 12 Anchor Liz Quirantes to Host Special Event Recognizing The Frederick A. DeLuca Foundation, Suzanne Cabrera, Junior League of the Palm Beaches, Excel Construction of Florida, Payne Chapel A.M.E.C, Palm Beach County Human Trafficking Task Force and Marian M.E. Bluntson Wingate

West Palm Beach, FL – FLITE Center West Palm Beach will launch its inaugural FLITE Center Gunther Motor Company Collective Impact Awards presented by South Florida Business and Wealth (SFBW) honoring Palm Beach County youth advocates at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, February 27, at The Studio at The Ben Autograph Collection Hotel (251 N. Narcissus in West Palm Beach). Special guest host CBS 12 Anchor Liz Quirantes will emcee the event that will recognize individuals and companies for their advocacy and support of FLITE Center’s mission to aid vulnerable youth in South Florida’s Transitional Independent Living (TIL) System of Care.

Honorees include The Frederick A. DeLuca Foundation who will receive the newly created Dr. Heidi Schaeffer Trailblazer Award, named for FLITE Center’s newest board member and longtime advocate; Suzanne Cabrera, CEO, Housing Leadership Council, and Junior League of the Palm Beaches, who will receive Ripple Effect Awards; Excel Construction of Florida who will receive the Bridge Builder Award; and Payne Chapel A.M.E.C and Palm Beach County Human Trafficking Task Force who will receive Community Collaborator Awards. Marian M.E. Bluntson Wingate will be honored with an In Memoriam dedication.

“We are grateful to the West Palm Beach community and our sponsors for taking our mission to heart and embracing our expansion to positively impact and guide more young adults toward a brighter future,” said Christine Frederick, CEO of FLITE Center. “It is an honor for us to recognize the vital contributions of those individuals, companies and partner organizations who are committed to helping us grow and create a better life for youth in West Palm Beach and beyond in need of a new path.”

FLITE Center has been serving the West Palm Beach community since 2021. In 2022, it expanded its services by adding a 1,500-square-foot drop-in center located in the historic northwest sector of downtown – in an area youth can easily reach. This past February, new property space began providing a safe, secure and reliable immediate housing emergency landing space lovingly called Falcon Ridge for human trafficking survivor youth and their families.

FLITE Center offers comprehensive and seamless service delivery for youth and young adults ages 10 to 25 involved in the child welfare system, including youth with special and behavioral needs, survivors of human trafficking, youth from the Department of Juvenile Justice, youth who have no high school diploma, those who are unemployed, homeless, or facing any other unfortunate circumstance. It ensures that youth develop essential skills and competencies in daily living, decision-making and interpersonal communication; crucial modules to begin building their lives as productive members of the community. To achieve these goals, FLITE Center partners with nonprofit organizations, government agencies, corporations and private citizens. Last year, FLITE Center served nearly 2,000 young adults in the Transitional Independent Living (TIL) System of Care.

FLITE Center’s West Palm Beach’s Anti-Human Trafficking programming is supported through a Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) grant through the Office of the Attorney General of Florida and through a U.S. Department of Justice Office of Victims of Crime Housing Assistance Grant, helping at-risk and sex-trafficked children and young adults between the ages of 10 – 24 with trauma informed care, guidance and support.

The Gunther Motor Company Collective Impact Awards presented by SFBW is additionally sponsored by GoldLaw Personal Injury Lawyers, DEX Imaging, Vegso Family Foundation, Lesser, Lesser, Landy & Smith, PLLC, Reicherter Foundation, Waterstone Resort & Marina, and Oceans 234.

Tickets start at $75 per person and include two drink selections plus gourmet hors d’oeuvres (a full cash bar will be available after the event) and are available to purchase at www.flitecenter.org/PBImpact. For additional sponsorship information, contact Alex Ortiz, FLITE Center’s director of development, at alex@flitecenter.org.

FLITE Center (Fort Lauderdale Independence, Training & Education) Center was created in 2009 through a partnership of the Community Foundation of Broward, the United Way of Broward and the Junior League of Greater Fort Lauderdale, with the intent of offering comprehensive access to services for youth aging out of foster care. A not-for-profit organization, FLITE Center has become the hub of all support services for transitioning youth to become successful adults within a safe, nurturing environment that promotes personal growth while developing practical life skills. Based on community need, FLITE Center recently expanded its reach to serve Palm Beach County at 816 Ninth Street, West Palm Beach, FL 33401. For more information, visit https://flitecenter.org.