Counting My Blessings - Formerly Homeless Men And Women Celebrate Life Changing Graduation

For the graduates, earning the opportunity to wear a cap and gown represented the completion of a demanding period of learning and personal growth. Each had successfully completed a comprehensive program focused on education, personal development, life skills, and career readiness. Graduation recognized that commitment while marking the beginning of the next stage of their lives.

Distinguished guests included City of Hollywood Mayor Josh Levy; worship leader and singer-songwriter Trey Heffinger; Antony Tchividijian, Founder | President of Recovery United, and Carole Mitchel, Homeless Initiatives Program Manager for the City of Fort Lauderdale. Their presence joined with that of family, friends, and community supporters to celebrate the graduates’ accomplishments.

MER – Mobile Enterprise Recourses served as the Presenting Sponsor of this year’s Graduation ceremony. Their support helped make possible a celebration focused on the graduates and the progress they achieved through the program.

Following the opening prayer by HR Director Edelia Phangyou, Carole Mitchell, Homeless Initiatives Program Manager for the City of Fort Lauderdale, shared a message of encouragement and a challenge to the graduates. She urged them to build on the progress they had made, stay connected to their support systems, and approach their next chapter with determination and hope. Her message emphasized that rebuilding a life takes continued commitment and the willingness to ask for help along the way. Carole also encouraged graduates to use their experiences to support others, reminding them that their stories could offer hope to someone still struggling. She closed by recognizing their perseverance and celebrating the possibilities ahead.

Graduate Patrick Paul’s journey is a powerful story of transformation, perseverance, and faith. After experiencing loss at a young age, he struggled with addiction that eventually led to separation from his children, homelessness, and despair. Guided by his faith, Patrick sought help at The Caring Place, where he found hope and a fresh start. When a relapse followed his first completion of the program, staff welcomed him back with compassion, reminding him of his worth as he recommitted to recovery. Today, after completing the program again, Patrick has been hired as a case manager for the work program at The Caring Place, helping others find the hope he once needed. His story is a testament to God’s grace, showing that setbacks do not define a person’s future and that restoration can lead to renewed purpose.

Worship leader and singer-songwriter Trey Heffinger shared a few heartfelt musical performances, adding a moment of worship and reflection to the graduation celebration.

To further demonstrate the transformation and commitment to not forgetting those in need, past graduate Aviance Simmons’ story reflects the strength of her faith and her determination to rebuild her life. Years of addiction left her experiencing homelessness, strained relationships, and feelings of shame and hopelessness. Seeing herself in a local news interview became a turning point, helping her recognize how much her life had changed. Through the compassion and support she received at The Caring Place, Aviance renewed her faith in Christ, rediscovered her worth, and began rebuilding her life.

Today, she is pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Addiction Counseling with a 3.8 GPA and serves as an Emergency Services Case Manager at The Caring Place. Her journey reflects the power of faith and restoration, showing how God’s mercy can turn past struggles into a future filled with purpose and opportunities to help others. Aviance is a graduate of The Caring Place/Miami Rescue Mission class of 2025.

City of Hollywood Mayor Josh Levy presented a proclamation recognizing The Caring Place’s graduation and honoring the accomplishments of the Class of 2026. He congratulated the graduates on their perseverance and encouraged them to continue building on the progress they have made. His message recognized the importance of community support in helping people overcome homelessness and move toward stability. The proclamation also acknowledged The Caring Place’s commitment to providing opportunities for men and women to rebuild their lives with renewed hope and purpose.

Antony Tchividjian, Founder | President of Recovery United, delivered an encouraging message to the graduates about moving forward in faith and remaining committed to the growth they began at The Caring Place. He reminded them that their past does not have to define their future and encouraged them to trust God, stay connected to those who support their recovery, and build on the lessons they have learned. Reflecting on the theme “Counting my Blessings,” his message invited graduates to recognize God’s grace in their journey and carry that gratitude into their next chapter.

Carlos Acosta, Board Member, along with the Board of Directors of The Caring Place helped pass out the diplomas to all the graduates. The Caring Place President, Antonio Villasuso personally recognized their achievements as they walked the stage to receive their diploma. What a sight to see nearly 50 men and women taking their commencement walk; having fought to overcome their life controlling issues that had brought them to homelessness.  Now their new journey begins with a new found empowerment.

Following the ceremony, Antonio Villasuso, President of The Caring Place, offered a dedication prayer, sharing his own transformative journey to instill hope in the graduates. Guests then enjoyed a celebratory reception with food prepared by Smoke BBQ, Chef Bel, and Back Alli’s Catering, along with entertainment from DJ Font Entertainment. With the support of Presenting Sponsor MER – Mobile Enterprise Resources, the celebration brought graduates, families, and friends together to honor their accomplishments and the new beginnings ahead.

“Every cap and gown represents courage, hard work, and a new beginning,” said Tony Villasuso, President of The Caring Place. “We thank God for our graduates and everyone who supported them. Their journey reminds us that through faith and compassion, lives can be restored.”

The Caring Place remains dedicated to supporting individuals in need, providing essential services such as food, shelter, job training, and spiritual counseling to empower lives every day.

This special celebration was made possible through the dedication of our incredible staff and the generous support of our community partners. A heartfelt thank you to US Senator Ashley Moody for writing a congratulatory letter to our graduates, Miami-Dade Commissioner Damian Pardo for sponsoring the food, The Church by the Sea for generously providing gifts for our graduates, and Back Alli’s Catering and Chef Bel, Smoke BBQ, Diamonette Event Rentals, and DJ Font Entertainment for helping make this milestone celebration truly memorable for our graduates and their families.