Foster Teen Drives Off with Free Car

DAVIE, FL – Jackie Knight, who aged out of the foster care system, received a car to make it easier for him to get to school and to his job at a local grocery store. The vehicle, a Honda Civic, is courtesy of the Rotary Club of Weston and was presented to him at Rick Case Honda in Davie, Florida.

The Rotary Club of Weston selected Knight from 60 students to receive the vehicle. The organization awarded more than $200,000 in college scholarships to high school seniors, supported by the Rotary Golf Classic title sponsor Freedland, Harwin and Valori.

“This is the 37th consecutive year the Rotary Club of Weston has awarded scholarships to students graduating from Cypress Bay High School, Western High School, Sagemont School, Children’s Harbor and HANDY,” said Michael Freedland with Freedland, Harwin and Valori. “What we do can truly make a difference in the lives of these students. We congratulate Jackie on receiving the car. All of these students have bright futures ahead.”

By completing Florida’s Keys to Independence course, which helps foster and homeless youth obtain a driver’s license, Knight also qualified to receive assistance to pay for car insurance for the first year.

“We were pleased to work with the Rotary Club of Weston to find a car for Jackie,” said Ryan Case of Rick Case Automotive Group. “Some of the best cars for first-time drivers are Hondas. When this came into our dealership, we knew it would be the perfect fit for Jackie.”

The 18-year-old entered the foster care system as a one-year-old after he was abandoned by his biological family. Knight was adopted by his foster mother, but sadly she passed away four years ago, and his life steered off course. Children’s Harbor provided the stability and support that Jackie needed to work through the trauma he had experienced and get back on the path to success. He now resides at their independent living campus, Browns Harbor, a supportive housing community for young adults between the ages of 18-23. The recent high school graduate will continue his education at Broward College.

“We are so proud of Jackie and all that he has overcome,” said Children’s Harbor President and CEO Tiffani Dhooge. “We’ve watched him grow and thrive as a respectful, educated young man. We are confident the keys to this car are also the key to his continued success in academia and in the workforce by easing the burden of wondering how he is going to get to where he needs to be.”

Recipients of the Rotary Club of Weston scholarships are selected based on scholastic achievement, community service hours and activities with the major emphasis placed on financial need. A majority of the $200,000 in scholarship money presented this year was raised through the FHV Law Golf Classic and Acuderm Drawdown Raffle, both in conjunction with the Rotary Club of Weston.