FLITE Center, a nonprofit organization dedicated to guiding vulnerable youth and those transitioning out of foster care towards independence through housing, education, employment, and comprehensive care coordination, will host its seventh annual Westin Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort Heroes Luncheon presented by Amazon on Friday, November 1, from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. WPLG Local 10’s Eric Yutzy returns to emcee the special event at the Westin Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort (321 N. Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd. in Fort Lauderdale) that will kick off the organization’s 15^th anniversary celebration.

FLITE Center’s Westin Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort Heroes Luncheon presented by Amazon is a tribute to the organization’s partners, funders, and frontline staff who support and dedicate their lives to impacting youth in South Florida’s Transitional Independent Living (TIL) System of Care. Last year’s sold-out luncheon for 500 underscored the community’s commitment to nurturing and developing skills for our most vulnerable youth.

This year’s honorees and their respective award categories are:

• Albert & Beatriz Miniaci Lifetime Heroes Award – Marcia Barry Smith, MBS Consulting Advisors Inc. and Larry Rein, ChildNet
• Community Champion Award – Jen Klaassens, Jen Klaassens Consulting; Walter H. Honaman, Esq., Legal Aid Service of Broward County; Covelli Enterprises/Panera
• Gore Foundation YouMatter Award – Paul Palank Memorial Foundation and Freddy Figgers Foundation
• Memorial Healthcare System Collaborator of the Year – Florida Community Health Partners
• Children’s Services Council TIL System of Care Hero Award – TD Charitable Foundation
• TIL System of Care Impact Award – Cleveland Clinic Florida
• Amazon TIL System of Care Unsung Heroes – Frontline staff from collaborating organizations in the TIL System of Care
• UKG Ultimate Acts of Kindness – Eric Hill, AvevoRx; Arun Raghuvi, Jyotirmaya Yoga Kendra and The Florida Panthers Foundation
• TIL System of Care Youth Heroes Award – Maranatha Solomon and Trevion “Comet” Johnson, two TIL youth who have displayed remarkable resilience and dedication toward becoming self-sufficient

FLITE Center’s Heroes Luncheon is supported by title sponsor Westin Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort and is presented by Amazon. Other sponsors include BBX Capital, Seminole Casino Coconut Creek, Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood, Premier Aircraft, The Vegso Family Foundation, Transworld Business Advisors, Memorial Healthcare System, Ackerman, Grey Robinson, ChildNet, UKG, South Florida Business & Wealth/Lifestyle Media Group, GPR | Goodman Public Relations and Synovus Bank.

Tickets are $100 per person ($75 for government agency employees) and are available for purchase online > see website link below.

For more information or to secure a sponsorship, please contact Bich-ly Ludwig, CNP, FLITE Center’s vice president of development, at (954) 530-4686 or bich-ly@flitecenter.org.