It was remindful of the movie “The Blind Side.” Gina Fazio of Palm Beach Gardens was in a position to do something special to change a life. She didn’t win an Academy Award for her work, but Ms. Fazio is a winner of the 88.1 WAY-FM Dare to Be Contest.
Women around South Florida were nominated for the contest through submissions of their inspirational faithbased stories on the Dare to Be Web site. The five winning stories were chosen by the Dare to Be Team, which includes Natalie Grant and Charlotte Gambill. As a winner, Ms. Fazio was honored in front of her peers at Place of Hope and was presented tickets to the Feb. 20 Dare to Be event in Coral Springs.
Fazio has served as Director of Clinical Services at Place of Hope, the county’s largest foster care organization for more than eight years. Prior to becoming an employee, she was a volunteer. In addition to the work she does for area foster children, she was recognized for her personal commitment and dedication to her son, Rob, who became part of her family at the age of 18.
Rob began his relationship with the Fazio family as a mentee and visitor. Not long afterward, Ms. Fazio’s children began to regard Rob as a big brother and wanted to include him permanently in their family. Ms. Fazio and her husband also wanted to adopt Rob, but had no physical space to accommodate him in their home. Once her church family and personal friends learned of the family’s wishes, a collective effort ensued to convert the Fazio garage into a bedroom and private living space for Rob. Builders, tradesmen and other professionals lent their talents, while friends and supporters donated funds and supplies.
Rob has now been a part of the Fazio family for three years.
“Through her work with our team, Gina has been instrumental in helping children and young people through some very difficult and traumatic transitions,” said Charles Bender, executive director of Place of Hope, in a prepared statement. “She understands the sacrifice and care necessary to make a house a home. So, it’s no surprise that she opened her home to another person and made her family his family. It takes a special and loving person to do that and to inspire a whole community of people to want to help.”
With campuses in Palm Beach Gardens, West Palm Beach and Boca Raton, Place of Hope is a faith-based, statelicensed child welfare organization that provides family-style foster care (emergency and long-term); family outreach and intervention; maternity care; safety for domestic minor sexually trafficked victims; transitional housing and support services; adoption and foster care recruitment and support; hope and healing opportunities for children and families who have been traumatized by abuse and neglect.
To learn more about Place of Hope, visit www.placeofhope.com.
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Like in the movie, The Blind Side, Gina Fazio of Palm Beach Gardens was in a position to do something unusually special to change a life. But instead of winning an Academy Award for her work, Fazio is a winner of the 88.1 WAY-FM Dare to Be Contest.
Women around South Florida were nominated for the 88.1 WAY-FM Dare to Be Contest through submissions of their inspirational faith-based stories on the Dare to Be website. The five winning stories of inspirational faith were chosen by the Dare to Be Team, which includes Natalie Grant and Charlotte Gambill. As a winner, Fazio was honored in front of her peers at Place of Hope and was presented tickets to the Feb. 20 Dare to Be event in Coral Springs.
Fazio has served as Director of Clinical Services at Place of Hope, the county’s largest foster care organization, for more than eight years. Prior to becoming an employee, she was a volunteer. In addition to the work she does for area foster children, she was recognized for her personal commitment and dedication to her son, Rob, who became part of her family at the age of 18.
Rob began his relationship with the Fazio family as a mentee and visitor. Not long after, Fazio’s children began to regard Rob as a big brother and wanted to include him permanently in their family. Fazio and her husband also wanted to adopt Rob, but had no physical space to accommodate him in their home. Once her church family and personal friends learned of the family’s wishes, a collective effort ensued to convert the Fazio garage into a bedroom and private living space for Rob. Builders, tradesmen and other professionals lent their talents, while friends and supporters donated funds and supplies.
Rob has now been a part of the Fazio family for three years.
“Through her work with our team, Gina has been instrumental in helping children and young people through some very difficult and traumatic transitions,” said Charles Bender, executive director of Place of Hope. “She understands the sacrifice and care necessary to make a house a home. So, it’s no surprise that she opened her home to another person and made her family his family. It takes a special and loving person to do that and to inspire a whole community of people to want to help.”
With campuses in Palm Beach Gardens, West Palm Beach and Boca Raton, Place of Hope is a faith-based, state-licensed child welfare organization that provides family-style foster care (emergency and long-term); family outreach and intervention; maternity care; safety for domestic minor sexually trafficked victims; transitional housing and support services; adoption and foster care recruitment and support; hope and healing opportunities for children and families who have been traumatized by abuse and neglect.
