The Dan Marino Foundation provides support to young adults aging out of foster care to help them become self-sufficient. The program helped 19-year old Sara find housing, food assistance, and prepare for her upcoming baby. Life coaches in the program help participants locate resources, learn important life skills, and provide a support system to prevent homelessness or hunger. Many participants have gone on to higher education and successful careers thanks to the support of the Dan Marino Foundation.

1. in the city Fostering
self sufficiency
Hot wheels Dan Marino Foundation
Dolphins’ Brandon Marshall program helps young adults
transports his passion for succeed after foster care
cars to South Florida
Sara was 19 and pregnant. She had to
Football and hot cars. They have been a part of Brandon drop out of school to work full-time. Raised
Marshall’s life for as long as he can remember. His in foster care, she did not have a family
father, Fred Marshall, who had been an all-city high support system, and she was floundering.
school quarterback in Pittsburgh, shared his love of the She found a lifeline in The Dan Marino
game with his young son, who would grow up to be a Foundation’s Foster Care Division, which helps young people aging out of
standout wide receiver, now in his first season with the the foster system move on toward self-sufficiency.
Miami Dolphins. Nicknamed Funded through Children’s Services Council of Broward County,
The Beast, the two-time Pro Workforce One, Jim Moran Foundation and Community Foundation of
Bowler has racked up more Broward, the program helped Sara in myriad ways, including finding an
than 100 catches in the past affordable apartment, getting food stamps and preparing for her baby.
three seasons, and he set an “They know that I’m trying and that I’m a hard worker,” says
NFL record for receptions in
Sara, who has stopped by program director Stephanie McKinley’s Fort
a game, with 21.
Lauderdale office. “It keeps my spirits up to know there is someone who
In addition to football,
Brandon Marshall the elder Marshall also will help me so I won’t end up on the street or starving.”
Sara’s situation is not uncommon, McKinley says.As they leave foster
shared his love of cars with
his son, and that passion care, many young people have trouble transitioning to life on their own.
stuck, as well. “My father Through this program life coaches help them locate
had a Benz, a Jag and a Toyota resources and acquire skills for success, including
truck, and I loved the Jag the most. When I got an off- such tasks as budgeting, comparative shopping,
season bonus a couple years ago, I got an XK,” says cooking, setting up a bank account and getting
Marshall, who was drafted out of the University of Central financial aid for school.
Florida by the Denver Broncos in 2006. Transportation is another major issue for program
These days Marshall is back in Florida and back participants, she says. Some work overnight shifts,
in a Jag. He drives a 2011 Jaguar XJ, thanks to his when buses aren’t running. Then there are those
association as a brand ambassador for Warren Henry unexpected expenses, when your car water pump fails,
Sara, age 19
Automobiles, Inc. With a sleek, aerodynamic design there’s no money for the repair and your baby is due
marked by elongated teardrop side windows, the car in a few days. As Sara is leaving McKinley’s office, she
gets noticed, he says. “When I pull up to a light, I get says to the teen, “Get that repair estimate for me.”
compliments, whether it’s a teen-age boy or a 60-year- Like many participants, Sara tried to make it on her own but realized
old man.” His other car, by the way, is a Lamborghini she needed help, McKinley says. “Our program gives them the space to try
from Warren Henry, for special occasions.
and fail. If they stumble, we provide
Marshall is also drawn to classic cars, a passion
the support to help them pick up the
that started when he acquired a beat-up 1970 Chevy undation Camp
us
Impala in his junior year at Lake Howell High School Th e Dan Marino Fo ward
pieces. Then they are ready to accept
en in Central Bro
One, slated to op e education and help and open to learning.”
in Winter Park. He spent the next 10 years working on will provid
County in 2011, 15-25 who McKinley has seen great success
the car, which he calls Beauty. “It was a project for my vocational training for youth
abilities
father and me. When we got a little busier, it was in and have autism or developmental dis stories. Many of the participants go
It will
out of foster care.
out of the shop. I would save up a couple dollars and or who are aging s to trade schools or two-year college
fitne ss, recreation, art
put it into cars.” offer job training, nt programs. programs, and some have gotten
geme
and social encoura master’s degrees, she says. Others
He tinkers with it to this day, and recently had it
repainted, from tangerine orange to silver. He also has become entrepreneurs, such as
refurbished a 1971 Cutlass, which he calls The Beast, one young man who started a mobile barber
and he has a couple other cars in the works. “When business and branched out into mobile car detailing. “It reminds why we
they are ready, we’ll bring them out,” he says, while at keep doing what we’re doing,” she says.
the Dolphins’ facility in Davie watching game films. Then there’s Sara, who gave birth to a healthy baby girl on Oct. 2.
Although he has Florida roots, it has been an adjustment Someday, she says, she would like to help kids like herself with tough
leaving the high, dry climate of Denver to train and play in life transitions.
the subtropics. “I’m getting used to it again, and I use it to my
advantage when opposing teams come to play here.” The Dan Marino Foundation Foster Care Division,
www.danmarinofoundation.org; contact Stephanie McKinley, Stephanie@
Warren Henry Automobiles Inc. has six dealerships
danmarinofoundation.org, 561-441-0900. Ways to help: Donate cars, gently used
in Miami and West Palm Beach, specializing in
furniture and home goods, store gift cards, a storage unit (to store furniture)
Jaguar, Lamborghini, Infiniti, Land Rover and Volvo;
www.warrenhenryauto.com. To see a video featuring Sara, visit cityandshore.com/in_the_city.html.
–Elizabeth Rahe
–Elizabeth Rahe
36 cityandshore.com