May 25, 2023

626 Gives: Laszlo Fischer Inaugural 626 Golf Tournament

May 24, 2023 - Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. – In a powerful show of advocacy for youth on May 12, donors, friends, and family of the Laszlo Fischer Foundation hit the links and raised more than $150,000 to support housing needs for teens aging out of Florida’s Foster Care System. More than 130 people gathered at PGA National Resort, in Palm Beach Gardens, to play a round of golf, enjoy breakfast and lunch, and bid in silent and live auctions, to support the Laszlo Fischer Foundation’s dedication to assisting youth, as they transition to an adult life of independence. Early sponsors included Title Sponsor: 626 and Presenting Sponsor: Your South Florida BMW Centers. Other major sponsors included the H. Wayne Huizenga School of Business & Entrepreneurship at Nova Southeastern University, Caldera Law, Taylor Made Lending, LLC and Faulkner, Inc. “There is a tremendous need in our community for affordable housing, perhaps none greater than among youth who are aging out of foster care,” said Michael Fischer, president of the Laszlo Fischer Foundation. “When these kids turn 18, they are literally turned out of the foster programs they are living in and unfortunately, many have nowhere to turn. We hope to put an end to the stress and anxiety these kids feel by having a home waiting for them.” The Foundation has partnered with Vita Nova, Inc., a local nonprofit, that provides housing, life skills training and other programs for youth that have aged out of foster care. There is currently a waiting list for kids who are in transition and need a place to call home. “When we started this foundation last year, we didn’t want to duplicate services already in place. We wanted to partner with an already established charity that was working with this at-risk population,” said Fischer. “Vita Nova is doing an outstanding job with the services and programs they currently offer youth, and we are set to focus on increasing housing opportunities, so they can concentrate on expanding services for these kids.” Several other companies and organizations answered the call to help by sponsoring the golf tournament, including Tito’s Handmade Vodka, The Barbara Knight Foundation, Truist Bank, The Colony Group, SK Promotions, J.P. Morgan, Anthony Pozzolano, Fish Collection, Cascadia Capital, LLC, Haltech, Pacific Marble Restoration, and MedSource Imaging. Acclaimed artists including Jonathan Stein and Blair Hess also donated their talents. About the Laszlo Fischer Foundation: The mission of the Laszlo Fischer Foundation, a non-profit, 501(c) (3) organization, is to provide safe, affordable housing for youth aging out of the foster care system. The Foundation is named in honor of Laszlo Fischer, a child Holocaust survivor who knew what it felt like to be removed from his home and not know what the future would hold for him. In 2020, Laszlo passed away from COVID-19 and his son, Michael, established this Foundation to keep the memory of his father alive and to celebrate his dad’s generous heart and love of children, especially those children in need of a helping hand. To donate, or learn more about the Foundation, visit LaszloFischer.org Pictures below: