VALRICO, Fla. — When you’re a parent, you spend so much of your life making sure your children have a safe place to come home to.
But what happens when that safety net disappears? For kids in foster care, once they turn 18, it disappears almost overnight. No foster family, no caseworker, no guarantee of where they’ll sleep or how they’ll make it on their own.
Good Morning Tampa Bay anchor Deiah Riley visited Forgotten Angels, a nonprofit in Valrico that is making sure young people aging out of foster care don’t have to face that transition alone.
“A little piece of heaven. Little piece of heaven,” said David Tyler, the executive director of Forgotten Angels.
Forgotten Angels is a sprawling, tranquil 12-acre property surrounded by open space, mature trees, farm animals, and the kind of peace that makes you slow down. But for the staff this beautiful place is about so much more than the scenery.
“I tell everybody these kids that have aged out, are at risk, or homeless. We bring them in. They need a mom. They need a dad. They need that type of family setting, and that's what Forgotten Angels is,” said Cindy Tilley, the founder of Forgotten Angels.
Cindy, David, and their entire staff are creating a space where young people, mostly young men who have spent much of their lives in foster care, can finally feel something many of us take for granted: a sense of home.
“This is home. This is where they thrive. This is where they dream, and then those dreams come true as a result of the hard work of our team and the community that supports our mission,” said David.
This includes support, guidance, and resources to help these young men build lives of their own.
“Our focus and our desire is to give these kids keys to change the trajectory of their life from this to this. And so, it starts off with the first tiny home that belongs to them, and they have a key to it,” explained David.
There are currently eight tiny homes on the property. Cindy and David make the initial down payment, and then each young man is responsible for the rest.
When Riley was on the property, she spotted motorcycles everywhere. That’s because every young man who lives here is taught to ride and gets certified. It’s a way to get to and from work and school, without the expense of a car.
Jeremiel Williams is living proof of how life-changing this program is. He’s 26 years old and doing well, but remembers what it was like when he first came here.
“They're a bit scared. You know, they're a little nervous. They don't know how to trust because that's how I was. I didn't know how to trust them. I didn't know how to accept their help. You know, I didn't know what my next life plan was gonna be,” said Jeremiel.
He continued, “You know, when I first got here, I was a more self-centered person. I didn't care, and they changed my life and the aspect on life pretty much like a lot. Like, I am the man I am today because of them two.”
He’s thriving now with a great job and bright future. He left for a while but is back now because this is home.
For Cindy, who started Forgotten Angels in 2015, this mission is personal. She grew up in foster care and made a promise to make a difference.
“For these kids, it's very, very important that they understand that we do have their back, that they have someone that they can lean on, and it's moving them forward in a positive way, so that they don't end up in situations that they don't belong in. They did not ask for this. I tell everybody this. No kid signs up to be in foster care, to have two crappy parents, to have the system fail them, and for them to be homeless or living on the streets. No kid ever said, 'This is what I want.' So, for me, I take it as a personal mission to make sure to help as many kids as humanly possible,” said Cindy.
Forgotten Angels can’t replace everything these young people might have missed growing up, but they’re building something that can be just as powerful. Forgotten Angels is a place that reminds them they have not been forgotten.
This story is part of Deiah Riley’s new series “Fostering Greatness.” Twice a month on Fridays, Riley will introduce you to a young man or young woman who has aged out of foster care. Our goal is to connect them with people in our community who may be able to help them build the future they’re working toward.
Share Your Story with Deiah
Good Morning Tampa Bay Anchor Deiah Riley has called Tampa Bay for more than 15 years. As a mother of two, she knows the importance of a good education and strong role models. Reach out to Deiah with any education related stories or community leaders who deserve to be in the spotlight.
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