In 2007 the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay decided to focus on helping disadvantaged youth as a priority. As part of that activity the Foundation's President, David Fischer, observed a venture in Hillsborough County that had been successful in helping young adults as they make the challenging transition from foster care to independent adulthood. David believed a similar organization could be formed in Pinellas County.

A meeting was organized to expose the Pinellas community to the issues the youth face when they turn eighteen. This transition occurs on their 18th Birthday without regard to any other outside considerations. On their eighteenth birthday most of these young people are still in high school or trying to obtain their GED, have limited life skills, no clear plan for housing or employment yet on the day they turn eighteen they are expected to be ready to live as an independent adult.

David asked our help in forming a not for profit organization that would specifically target helping these young people through this transition. The result was the formation of Ready for Life. We became involved because the opportunity to help these young people in a meaningful way was very compelling. We knew that if we had a clear mission and manageable goals we could leverage our resources and help make a real and significant difference.

Ready for Life's core belief is that success will come if we can connect engaged, active community volunteers with the youth themselves and their service providers. Ready for Life will involve youth as resources in everything we do.

RFL enjoys a strong partnership with Eckerd Community Alternatives, the new lead agency for Community Based Care in our community as well as other service providers. Our challenge and the real mission for RFL is to create support from within our community to assist in the transition process.

It is our hope that within a few years Ready for Life will assist every Pinellas County youth aging out of foster care. We hope they will be better prepared for the challenges of independent living, will be connected with an adult mentor and that they have access to a safety net should they be unable to surmount all the hurdles they face as they make the journey to adulthood.

Join us in making a difference one young person at a time!

Gerry Hogan                                   Bud Risser

In 2007 the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay decided to focus on helping disadvantaged youth as a priority. As part of that activity the Foundation's President, David Fischer, observed a venture in Hillsborough County that had been successful in helping young adults as they make the challenging transition from foster care to independent adulthood. David believed a similar organization could be formed in Pinellas County.

A meeting was organized to expose the Pinellas community to the issues the youth face when they turn eighteen. This transition occurs on their 18th Birthday without regard to any other outside considerations. On their eighteenth birthday most of these young people are still in high school or trying to obtain their GED, have limited life skills, no clear plan for housing or employment yet on the day they turn eighteen they are expected to be ready to live as an independent adult.

David asked our help in forming a not for profit organization that would specifically target helping these young people through this transition. The result was the formation of Ready for Life. We became involved because the opportunity to help these young people in a meaningful way was very compelling. We knew that if we had a clear mission and manageable goals we could leverage our resources and help make a real and significant difference.

Ready for Life's core belief is that success will come if we can connect engaged, active community volunteers with the youth themselves and their service providers. Ready for Life will involve youth as resources in everything we do.

RFL enjoys a strong partnership with Eckerd Community Alternatives, the new lead agency for Community Based Care in our community as well as other service providers. Our challenge and the real mission for RFL is to create support from within our community to assist in the transition process.

It is our hope that within a few years Ready for Life will assist every Pinellas County youth aging out of foster care. We hope they will be better prepared for the challenges of independent living, will be connected with an adult mentor and that they have access to a safety net should they be unable to surmount all the hurdles they face as they make the journey to adulthood.

Join us in making a difference one young person at a time!

Gerry Hogan                                   Bud Risser