Florida
Embrace Florida Kids and IMPACT 100 are bridging the gap for homeless kids | Guestview
Most of us have a place to call home. To us, home means comfort, safety, warmth, love, laughter and rest. We can be ourselves at home, so we can thrive, grow and learn.
Young people who live in foster care, relative care or another impermanent situation do not have a place to truly call home. Can you imagine? Even a great foster home is not a permanent home. These kids spend their energy and focus on survival and acceptance rather than growth and learning. If they make it through high school successfully and want a college degree, what happens next?
A few of these teens now have a home for their college years because of the generous 2021 IMPACT 100 Pensacola Bay Area grant that allowed Embrace Florida Kids to purchase its first-ever Higher Education Home.
For those wondering who we are, Embrace Florida Kids and Embrace Alabama Kids began in 1890 as the United Methodist Children’s Home, an orphanage. During the past 130 years, we have changed with the needs of our communities, and we now provide a much wider range of services to the vulnerable, including foster care, family preservation, and group homes in Northwest Florida and Alabama.
IMPACT 100 Pensacola Bay Area is a volunteer group of philanthropic women who pool their gifts of $1000 each to provide grants of $100,000 or more to nonprofit organizations, which makes a significant impact on the organization, the individuals it serves, and the community. For Embrace, that grant began to change the course of a few high school graduates’ lives forever.
We are thrilled that so many of our Embrace kids do successfully complete high school, but we know that foster children nationwide tend to have worse outcomes as adults than their peers. Even with a tuition scholarship, the cost of college – books, labs, food, housing, and transportation – seems impossible to a teenager who does not have a continuing support system.
Some teens who have experienced periods of instability have been fully funded for college through scholarships, work, grants, and loans, but they still struggle because they have gaps in their social and behavioral skills. Sometimes, they have not gained skills that kids in a stable home environment have developed through consistent teaching of parents and family.
Embrace’s Higher Ed Homes in Alabama have been successful in bridging this gap with group homes in college towns, so plans were made to begin a similar program in Northwest Florida. A grant from the amazing women of IMPACT 100 allowed us to purchase a home much faster than we expected, so we now have students who are enjoying college, studying hard and growing together with a resident advisor. We especially love the moments when they are laughing together while doing chores, watching movies or having dinner!
We celebrated our first Embrace Florida Kids Higher Ed scholarship recipient in December. She lived in a dorm while we worked to secure a house and funding, and because of the IMPACT 100 grant, she was able to live in the new home for two semesters, which was a dream come true for her. She was thrilled that so many people from her Embrace family showed up for her graduation. These kids have not always been celebrated, and they are incredible.
Embrace is providing not just a house, but a home. Our goal is to cultivate growth, with a focus on academic, spiritual, and social development. Laura Ingalls Wilder said that home is the nicest word there is. I am sure our Higher Ed Home residents would agree. We are so thankful to be able to say, “Welcome home” to these young adults. Visit our website at https://embraceflkids.org/ to learn more.
In Switzerland ever since, Ignatavicius has steadily improved with each passing season.
Spending most of the 2025-26 campaign playing against professionals in the National League, he notched 13 points (7G, 6A) in 52 games with Genève-Servette HC. He also suited up in 11 games in the postseason, scoring two goals and dishing out an assist.
During a brief stint in Switzerland’s second-tier league, he was better than a point-per-game player, racking up 11 points (7G, 4A) in eight contests.
“That was a big there,” the 18-year-old forward said of his breakout season. “There we go, and here I am now.”
Catching the attention of scouts across the NHL, Ignatavicius was projected as a possible late-first-round pick by several outlets heading into this weekend.
Making history when the Panthers called his name, he became the fourth Lithuanian to be drafted, joining Darius Kasparaitis, Dainius Zubrus and Andrey Pedan.
“It means a lot to my family and to my country,” Ignatavicius. “It shows little kids that whatever you dream it’s possible. You’ve just got to work for it. When you get your chance, you take it. Don’t give up. Work hard.”
A veteran of 1,293 games in the NHL, Zubrus has been a longtime mentor to his young countryman.
“I’m pretty close with him,” Ignatavicius said. “We text a lot. I’m happy with that and think I can learn a lot from him.”
When it comes to future lessons, he’ll have no shortage of new teachers to work with in South Florida.
Priding himself on playing a physical, relentless style, Ignatavicius models his game after one Panther in particular.
“Matthew Tkachuk,” he said. “I try playing like him, his style. I think he’s a great player and I can learn a lot from him.”
Yet to commit to returning to Switzerland next season, Ignatavicius is still waiting to see where he’ll lace up his skates in 2025-26.
“I’ve just got to focus on my summer and getting better,” he said.
In the immediate future, Ignatavicius will soon board a flight to Fort Lauderdale to participate in his first development camp with the Panthers.
“Florida? Can’t complain much,” he said when asked about his impending trip. “Very happy.”
In between on-ice sessions, maybe Ignatavicius will even find some time to grab a pizza.
If he needs a recommendation, I’m sure Panthers fans will have a few suggestions.
“This is just the beginning,” he said.
A diver who was reported missing near the Fort Pierce Inlet has been found dead, according to the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office.
The U.S. Coast Guard received a mayday call around 11:30 a.m. June 27 about the missing diver. The Coast Guard then notified the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, which deployed four boats to assist in the search, according to a social media post by the Sheriff’s Office. The St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office marine unit also responded.
Friends of the missing diver joined the search, departing from Fort Pierce Inlet around 1 p.m.
The search, which included aerial support from the Coast Guard and FWC, focused on an area about six to seven miles north-northeast of the Fort Pierce Inlet, near Avalon State Park.
Around 4:10 p.m., the group of civilian divers entered the water and located the missing diver at the bottom of the ocean in about 55 feet of water. The diver was recovered and pronounced dead.
The body was transported to Coast Guard Station Fort Pierce. The St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division is investigating the incident.
No additional information is available at this time.
This story was created by Colleen Wixon, colleen.wixon@tcpalm.com, with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct.
Colleen Wixon is the Indian River County government watchdog reporter for TCPalm and Treasure Coast Newspapers.
The Florida Lottery offers several draw games for those hoping to win one of the available jackpots.
Here’s a look at the winning numbers for games played on Friday, June 26, 2026.
Winning Mega Millions numbers from June 26 drawing
05-13-30-33-52, Mega Ball: 06
Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Jackpot Triple Play numbers from June 26 drawing
09-12-15-25-30-38
Check Jackpot Triple Play payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Fantasy 5 numbers from June 26 drawing
Midday: 05-11-19-27-31
Evening: 17-24-29-34-35
Check Fantasy 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash Pop numbers from June 26 drawing
Morning: 11
Matinee: 08
Afternoon: 14
Evening: 03
Late Night: 01
Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.
Powerball, Mega Millions jackpots: What to know in case you win
Here’s what to know in case you win the Powerball or Mega Millions jackpot.
Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
Winning Pick 2 numbers from June 26 drawing
Midday: 2-7, FB: 1
Evening: 3-5, FB: 8
Check Pick 2 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 3 numbers from June 26 drawing
Midday: 2-8-7, FB: 1
Evening: 7-0-4, FB: 8
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from June 26 drawing
Midday: 3-4-9-0, FB: 1
Evening: 4-2-7-4, FB: 8
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 5 numbers from June 26 drawing
Midday: 0-5-3-4-6, FB: 1
Evening: 7-0-0-4-5, FB: 8
Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Where can you buy Florida Lottery tickets?
Tickets can be purchased in person at any authorized retailer throughout Florida, including gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. To find a retailer near you, go to Find Florida Lottery Retailers.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your prize
- Prizes of $599 or less: Claim at any authorized Florida Lottery retailer or Florida Lottery district office.
- Prizes for $600 to $1 million: Must be claimed in person at any Florida Lottery district office for games that do not offer an annual payment option.
- Prizes greater than $1 million and all prizes with an annual payment option: Must be claimed at Florida Lottery headquarters, except Mega Millions and Powerball prizes, which can be claimed at any Florida Lottery district office.
You also can claim your winnings by mail if the prize is $250,000 or less. Mail your ticket to the Florida Lottery with the required documentation.
Florida law requires public disclosure of winners
If you’re a winner, Florida law mandates the following information is public record:
- Full name
- City of residence
- Game won
- Date won
- Amount won
- Name and location of the retailer where the winning ticket was purchased.
When are the Florida Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 10:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 11 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
- Florida Lotto: 11:15 p.m. Wednesday and Saturday.
- Jackpot Triple Play: 11:15 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
- Fantasy 5: Daily at 1:05 p.m. and 11:15 p.m.
- Cash Pop: Daily at 8:45 a.m., 11:45 a.m., 2:45 p.m., 6:45 p.m. and 11:45 p.m.
- Pick 2, 3, 4, 5: Daily at 1:30 p.m. and 9:45 p.m.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Florida digital producer. You can send feedback using this form.
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