Florida foster kids find refuge from hurricane in sprawling mansion
Sep 21, 2017, 6:15 AM | Updated: Sep 25, 2017, 6:24 am
Flooding caused by Hurricane Irma. (File, Associated Press)
(File, Associated Press)
If raising one child “takes a village” then what does it take to raise 70 kids? The answer is one rich man in Boca Raton, Florida.
Marc Bell, a financier and producer, has a sprawling mansion on Florida’s southeastern coast. He had the resources and infrastructure to withstand Hurricane Irma’s strength. But, as we know, others weren’t so lucky. That includes the foster kids at SOS Children’s Village.
Bell sits on the Children’s Village board and received a call Monday from the organization’s CEO – the power at the group home was still out and the kids could no longer stay at a shelter. Bell offered to house them at his place.
You can only imagine what it was like for those kids to enter his ritzy mansion. I know that when I’ve been on story assignments that take me to the mansions of Seattle I have to give myself a pep talk in the car before entering that goes something like: “Act cool, Colleen. Don’t gawk at the nice things.” I keep my elbows firmly tucked at my sides because I shudder to think about knocking them into expensive art.
For the kids, what was supposed to be a few hours turned into a few days and Bell went above and beyond to keep the kids entertained including games, ice cream trucks, and food. LOTS OF FOOD. Bell estimates he served 800 meals during their time with him and had the help of about 100 of his friends and family to pull it off.
“For us and for all of our friends it’s just been an eye opening and beautiful experience,” Bell told CNN.
Every year on KIRO Radio, we break regular programming to host what’s called the Holiday Magic Radiothon to benefit Treehouse. It’s a Seattle organization that provides opportunities and support for foster kids. This can include something as simple as the cash they need to buy a student ID. Most of us take those little things for granted.
I get the pleasure of meeting and interviewing some of the kids that Treehouse supports and they are magnificent. And here’s the best news of all – you don’t have to wait until Holiday Magic (and you don’t have to be a Florida millionaire) to help them.
You can hear Colleen O’Brien’s “Daily Dose of Kindness” segment every morning at 7:30 a.m. on KIRO Radio 97.3 FM
Follow @http://twitter.com/ColleenKIROFM
