We are honored to announce that we are the recipients of the Doyle Award for Nonprofit Excellence, an award that spotlights 1 nonprofit per month and the the impact it is making in the community. Our Board of Directors put in hours of hard work to ensure the transformation of students’ lives in Broward County.

As seen in Sun Sentinel, Broward Society:

Firewall Centers’ mission is to instill character values, promote academic success and establishes long-term relationships with middle and high school students through afterschool programming.

Firewall serves 350 low-income middle and high school students at Broward County Public Schools. More than 90 percent of students receive free/reduced lunch at school and come from minority families, with many being supported by single parents.

Firewall’s low 10:1 student-to-staff ratio ensures that students receive the individual attention they need to succeed. Center staff consists of college students that tutor, mentor and coach children, connecting with them in ways that others cannot.

The centers are located within public schools, providing accountability to students by working together with their teachers, parents and counselors. Firewall is not just a program – it’s a family.
Board members are actively involved in building Firewall’s capacity, each bringing unique experiences, qualities and capabilities to the table. One-hundred percent of members financially support Firewall and attend board meetings at least six times annually. Board members also speak to Firewall students on a quarterly basis. Annually, the board evaluates its performance and composition, determining how to best strengthen Firewall as a whole.

“As we work with parents and schools to impact underserved students, we find that it’s not only important to give kids a safe place to hang out, but a place where they’re expected to perform to the best of their ability,” said Andy Fernandez, president and executive director. “Firewall’s approach of walking through life with students ultimately helps them see that with the right help and their own hard work, they can break the cycle of poverty and reach their greatest potential.”

For more information on Firewall Center, call 954-252-0838 or visit http://2zm.dbb.myftpupload.com

DAVIE, Fla. (April 2nd, 2015) – On Saturday, May 2^nd, Firewall Centers’ students, together with their mentors and volunteers will participate in service projects across the community. Through local business and individual sponsors, Firewall Centers plans to fundraise $100,000 during Serve-A-Thon to grow their reach to additional students in Broward County Public Schools.

“We are proud to host this event for a second year not only because it is a tool to provide much-needed funding for Firewall students and their mentoring and leadership development, but also because it is a hands-on opportunity for us to impact our community and intentionally give back to the places we call home,” said Andy Fernandez, founder of Firewall Centers.

The second-year headline sponsor, Regent Bank, raises money in their local branches by sharing Firewall’s vision and the difference that it makes on students’ lives to their customers throughout Broward and Palm Beach County. Their support is critical to the Serve-A-Thon success.

The Leadership Broward Foundation is assisting Firewall Centers in the overall organization and facilitation of the event to ensure that at-risk students in Broward County receive the help they need.

Serve-A-Thon will provide Firewall students, their mentors, staff, and volunteers the opportunity to give back to others at various service project locations including Broward Children’s Center, Hope South Florida, ARC Broward, and Davie Pine Island Park. Service activities will include landscaping, mulching, improving a butterfly garden, and helping to disinfect playground equipment for needy children.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (Feb. 13^th, 2015) – Firewall Centers was awarded ‘Collective Impact for Youth’ at the Fifth Annual South Florida Community Care Network Non-Profit Academy Awards.

“We are growing and our goal is to set up Firewalls in the lives of all the at-risk kids here in Broward County, so we are just getting started,” said Andy Fernandez, Firewall Centers’ founder, at the Broward 2-1-1 Academy Awards.

Firewall Centers currently has seven locations across Broward County, two of which are funded by the Children’s Service Council (CSC) of Broward County and the Community Foundation of Broward (CFB). These Centers mentor and tutor students every day, most of which come from minority, low-income, and/or single-parent households. With the help received from these two organizations, Firewall Centers has been able to increase its impact on Broward County students.

“Anybody who knows the Children’s Services Council knows we’re all about collective impact on behalf of youth,” said Cindy Arenberg Seltzer, CSC President and CEO of Broward County.

A current initiative focused on Middle School student success in order to raise graduation rates was developed by CFB and is played out by the key services that Firewall Centers provides. The Community Foundation of Broward’s funding for the ‘School is Cool’ initiative has been matched by CSC for the past two school years and supports the Bair and Plantation Middle School Firewall Centers.

This collaborative effort has impacted the lives of over 120 students by focusing on improving their performance in the areas of school attendance, behavior, and course performance (ABC’s).

To find out more about the Community Foundation of Broward’s ‘School is Cool’ initiative, visit www.cfbroward.org.

POMPANO BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 2^nd, 2015) – Firewall Centers was awarded $10,000 through the Sun Sentinel Children’s Fund, a McCormick Foundation fund, to expand its reach in the Pompano Beach area.

Firewall has operated a Center within Pompano Beach Middle since the 2011-2012 school year, and neighboring Crystal Lake Middle opening this past school year, where staff has worked closely with students beginning in their sixth grade year. The relationships built in these centers don’t end in eighth grade, but are carried over to the near-by newly opened Blanche Ely High School Firewall Center. This long-term approach has proven to be the key to empowering at-risk students towards the pathway to self-sufficiency and success.

“Firewall has helped me in improve in all aspects; I have grown to learn more good studying habits and to be more social with others around me,” said 9^thgrade Blanche Ely High student, Rhoven.

Last school year, the Sun-Sentinel Children’s Fund, a McCormick Foundation fund, supported the Pompano Beach Middle School Firewall Center as a part of their support of local nonprofits that deliver well-rounded education programs for kids with the support from the public and matching Foundation funds.

“By reading more, practicing, doing problems, and working with others at Firewall, I’m able to earn better grades,” said Nitaisa, a sixth grader at Pompano Beach Middle.

With this funding and through other generous supporters, Firewall is able to mentor 400 at-risk students every day.  To find out more about the Sun Sentinel Children’s Fund visit http://sunsentinelchildrensfund.org/

OAKLAND PARK, Fla. (Jan. 21st, 2015) – Firewall Centers was nominated as a finalist for the fifth annual South Florida Community Care Network Non-Profit Academy Awards for its collective work with others to overall positively and significantly impact youth in Broward County.

Winners will be announced at the Non-Profit Academy Awards on Friday, Feb. 13^th at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino at 11:00 a.m. The recipient of this award is a shining example of the power that best practices, shared information, collective efforts, and accountability and transparency have in transforming the lives of youth.

Firewall Centers was chosen as one of three nominees for the Children’s Service Council Collective Impact for Youth Award because of its collaboration with the Community Foundation of Broward (CFB) as a part of its “School is Cool” initiative that focuses on middle school student success in order to raise graduation rates from 75.3% to 90% by 2020.

Firewall staff shared some of its program’s best practices with CFB and other key stakeholders to develop an outcome criteria now being used by nonprofit agencies to effectively demonstrate measurable and significant benefits for youth. Specifically, outcomes are focused on improving student performance in the areas of school attendance, behavior, and course performance (ABC’s).

At the 2014 Academy Awards, Firewall Centers was named Non-Profit Organization of the Year Rising Star by 2-1-1 Broward, displaying that although it is “young and small,” the organizations’ “potential for growth and impact is high.”

2-11 Borward is the first call for help for Broward County residents and the gateway to health and human services in our community. Last year, 2-11 Broward connected nearly 101,000 Broward County callers with over 4,000 different programs that were available to help them.

DAVIE, Fla. (Jan. 20th, 2015) – On Monday, Jan. 19^th, Firewall Centers’ new modular was renovated thanks to the generous $3,377.04 awarded by Broward College in honor of MLK Day of Service.  This modular, donated by Bergeron Properties, will allow Firewall Centers to increase their capacity by 20 students in the surrounding Broward County community.

Around 30 volunteers from around the south Florida area came and gave of their time and talents. In attendance were numerous families, Town of Davie staff, Calvary Chapel Plantation attendees, Broward College and Nova Southeastern University students, and Firewall Centers’ students, staff, and Board members.

“I chose to volunteer for Firewall Centers because I can. You never know what’s going to happen tomorrow and I might not be able to pick up a paintbrush or a shovel anymore, so I’ll do everything I can to help and serve today,” said Broward College student, Daniela Jahncke.

Volunteers arrived at 8:00 a.m. and soon after began working hard by painting the outside of the modular, the roof, four rooms, and surrounding decks. Other volunteers caulked the inside rooms, pulled weeds, put cabinets and counters in place, cleaned, and planted a garden around the stairwell entrance. The trees, shrubs, mulch, and other supplies for the garden were donated by the Town of Davie.

“When I heard about the opportunity to help Firewall on MLK weekend, I knew I had to be part of it. It feels so good to accomplish what we did for the Firewall students and staff. I can’t wait for the next one!” said Justin Taylor, local Davie resident and event volunteer.

Firewall Centers received funds for this community project based on the criteria that included recruiting a diverse cross-section of the community as volunteers, supporting the legacy of Dr. King, and providing opportunities for sustained service and ongoing community involvement. This inaugural “Day On” of service, not a “Day Off” for Firewall Centers allowed for the nonprofit to continue to deepen its impact in this undeserved Broward County community.

 

 

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September 30^th, 2014

On Tuesday, Firewall’s Pompano Beach Middle School Center was pleased to host a group of Gap clothing stores’ District Managers. In town for a regional meeting, these managers took time out of their busy schedules to spend the afternoon inspiring our students. They brought blank t-shirts, paint, glitter, stencils, fabric markers, and more and encouraged our kids to create their own masterpieces! The kids had such a great time expressing themselves, as their artwork reflected their favorite school subjects, hobbies, and interests. We are grateful that the Gap came out to support us, and we are excited for a continued community partnership that helps give our kids a chance to succeed!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FOR MORE PICTURES CHECK OUT OUR FACEBOOK ALBUM!

Congratulations to our faithful founders Andy and Janeth Fernandez who on behalf of Firewall Centers were recognized “for outstanding commitment to our families” by Broward County School Social Work Association as they were awarded “Broward Citizens of the Year.”

Below are two of the nominating letters they are both deeply encouraging and humbling.  Thank you Yolanda and Betsy, the nomination means so much as we all know your commitment and sacrifice to our kids is unmeasurable.

Yolanda Thrower, Broward County Social Worker 

 “I personally worked with Firewall Ministries when I was assigned Indian Ridge Middle School and I can attest that Andy and Janeth were a critical piece in many of our student’s success. The program not only provided a place for our students to go after school but also filled in the parent link when necessary. Janeth attended parent-teacher conferences with or without the parent; emails teacher and communicates to parents what needs to be done; assisted the school staff with the implementing of interventions at their site; they signed agendas for the students with uninvolved parents; they referred families to the SSW with complex problems and ensured that the family followed up with referral; they assisted with the harvest drive every year; they have provided transportation for some parents to get them into the school for a conference. They are truly safe haven for their students.”

Betsy Roberts, Broward County Social Worker

 “I am truly lucky to have met Andy and Janeth Fernandez. They are amazing individuals who really have created a fantastic program for our students and families. I believe in what they are doing, data and statistics show it is working. I am a strong advocate for the Firewall Program. Andy and Janeth are the real deal – they unconditionally give of themselves, to help not only the students but their families. They are very “present” in the lives of our youth and role model a healthy lifestyle. I would often get a text from Janeth in the evening, worried over the negative behavior of one of her high schoolers. Janeth has incredible insight and is able to gain the trust of not just the student but the parent as well. Together we would intervene to assure the safety of the kids and quickly take proper action. She would often tell the parent,” just go see Betsy”. They listen to her and come into Western the next day. Janeth had already laid the groundwork and I am then easily able to build a trusting relationship with the parent and assist with their issues. The Firewall staff and students are actively involved in the Western Harvest Drive. A majority of the high school students are recipients but Andy and Janeth believe in giving back. They believe in service to their community. They arrange for the kids to volunteer their time and assist in the organizing, heavy lifting and sorting of the food days before the event. The day of the event, Janeth and her staff pay it forward. They come out, volunteer and even transport food in their cars to families who could not make it. I strongly recommend Andy and Janeth for “Citizen of the Year 2014”. These two people give and give and give – and ask for nothing in return BUT to see their kids walk the stage and earn their high school diploma! Now – isn’t that the best form of recognition and success?”

Firewall Centers was awarded Nonprofit Rising Star at the 4th Annual PNC Bank Non-Profit Academy Awards hosted by Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino and presented by 2-1-1 Broward.

 

As seen in the Sun Sentinel:

Nonprofits in Broward honored at ‘Academy Awards’

By Doreen Hemlock, Sun Sentinel

7:43 PM EST, February 28, 2014

Copyright © 2014, South Florida Sun-Sentinel