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New Life for Homeless Youth

New life for Homeless Youth

Our Mission

Vita Nova is a safe bridge to independence for former foster care, LGBTQ and other homeless youth through supportive housing, education, employment and life skills training...

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    As the voice of homeless young adults, Vita Nova is working to eliminate homelessness for youth ages 18 to 25 years old in Palm Beach County.


    Let us tell you a story about a starfish.

    One day, an old man was walking along the beach when he noticed a boy picking something up and gently throwing it into the ocean.


    Approaching the boy, he asked, "What are you doing?". The youth replied, "Throwing starfish back into the ocean. The surf is up and the tide is going out. If I don't throw them back, they'll die."


    ​"Son," the man said, "Don't you realize there are miles and miles of beach and hundreds of starfish? You can't possibly make a difference!"


    After listening politely, the boy bent down, picked up another starfish, and threw it back into the surf. Then smiling at the man, he said...


    ​"I made a difference for that one."

Our Mission

Vita Nova is a safe bridge to independence for former foster care and other homeless youth through supportive housing, education, employment and life skills training...

  • read more

    As the voice of homeless young adults, Vita Nova is working to eliminate homelessness for youth ages 18 to 25 years old in Palm Beach County.


    Let us tell you a story about a starfish.

    One day, an old man was walking along the beach when he noticed a boy picking something up and gently throwing it into the ocean.


    Approaching the boy, he asked, "What are you doing?". The youth replied, "Throwing starfish back into the ocean. The surf is up and the tide is going out. If I don't throw them back, they'll die."


    ​"Son," the man said, "Don't you realize there are miles and miles of beach and hundreds of starfish? You can't possibly make a difference!"


    After listening politely, the boy bent down, picked up another starfish, and threw it back into the surf. Then smiling at the man, he said...


    ​"I made a difference for that one."

We champion the formula for self sufficiency.

Housing + Education + Employment + Supportive Living = Self Sufficiency   

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Housing +

Who can successfully live on their own at 18 years old? Our housing is geared for older foster and homeless youth ages 18-25 with nowhere to turn for support.

134

Youth served in Vita Nova housing and housing assistance programs this year.

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Education +

With our in-house GED program, and pipeline from school to vocational training, Vita Nova believes in the power of education to transform lives and break free from poverty.

81%

of youth housed with Vita Nova housing were enrolled in High School or College compared to 41% of foster youth ages 18-25 in Florida

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Employment +

Work is the antidote to homelessness. Our work training programs and initiatives help youth learn skills to re-enter the workforce; and then later, enter careers.

88%

of youth acquired employability skills and obtained employment.

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Supportive Living +

From house cleaning, cooking, laundry, home maintenance and financial literacy to conflict resolution, self-esteem and emotional control, these skills will help ensure that our youth are able to maintain stable housing when they leave us.


100%

of youth who live at Vita Nova housing received life skill training in employment, education, health and wellness, housing and financial.

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Self Sufficiency


 Our formula for Self Sufficiency leads to helping our youth grow in both supportive connections, and resources so they can move away from homelessness and poverty. Vita Nova believes in strong relationships with our youth as an essential ingredient, so they can make the changes necessary to reach their goals. 

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Stories of Courage

Shaley

Shaley came to Vita Nova right after turning 18, and was experiencing hardships with securing stable housing. She was couch-surfing, going from house to house with a trash bag of her belongings amongst many other obstacles that included not being documented and attempting to enter this adult life with very little knowledge of resources and support from others. 

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    Since walking through the doors of Vita Nova, Shaley has been a ray of sunshine and a mentor to fellow youth in the face of her

    adversities. While experiencing homelessness and other life challenges, Shaley was able to graduate high school from Palm Beach Lakes Community High School, she graduated from the Recipes for Success culinary program with Extraordinary Charities, and she gained temporary employment. Shaley is currently a resident at The Village and now has a safe

    place to call home while still receiving case management services and life skills training. With assistance from Palm Beach County Legal Aid, Shaley is currently pursuing higher education at Palm Beach State College and still exploring her career goals,

    but states “I want to be able to help people just like me”. Shaley is brave and has a bright future ahead and we are all

    rooting for her!


ALL STORIES

Vita Nova Events

Vita Nova events are vital in advancing our mission to strengthen youth in their efforts to achieve stability and self-sufficiency. You can play an active role in ensuring our youth continue on their journey of self-sufficiency by getting involved with events held throughout the year.

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    Whether it be through monetary support, volunteering your time or sharing our mission and story with friends and family, you can play a part in bringing stability back into the lives of those around you. If you want further information about any of the planned events, or how to get involved with our organization, please contact: aberry@vitanovainc.org

ALL EVENTS

Learn About Our Impact

Since 2005, Vita Nova has become one of the leaders in providing services for older foster and homeless youth. Over the years our services have improved to focus on the issues impacting these youth the most.

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    Today we continue to address the challenges that our youth face and offer a solution to deliver our youth into independent adulthood one by one.

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Partner Impact

Vita Nova is proud to work alongside iPower, a true partner in our mission. Beyond providing exceptional IT services and their technical prowess, iPower embodies a corporate culture of giving back, aligning perfectly with Vita Nova’s own values, and strengthening our collaborative impact.

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    What truly sets them apart is their individualized care for our team; they understand our unique needs and provide tailored solutions, making us feel genuinely supported. This personalized approach, combined with their unwavering reliability, makes iPower an indispensable asset. 


    If your business or non-profit is experiencing anything less than stellar IT support, we urge you to schedule a meeting with iPower. Discover the difference that true partnership and dedicated service can make. Learn more about iPower today: https://goipower.com