{"id":361502,"date":"2026-08-03T13:55:12","date_gmt":"2026-08-03T13:55:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/361502\/"},"modified":"2026-08-03T13:55:12","modified_gmt":"2026-08-03T13:55:12","slug":"volunteer-helps-children-at-new-hope-for-kids-in-maitland","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/361502\/","title":{"rendered":"Volunteer helps children at New Hope for Kids in Maitland"},"content":{"rendered":"

MAITLAND, Fla. \u2014 For children coping with the loss of a loved one, a life-threatening illness or another traumatic experience, New Hope for Kids in Maitland<\/a> provides a place where they can heal, connect with others and simply be kids. Helping make that possible is this week\u2019s Everyday Hero, Robert Talley, a dedicated volunteer who has spent years creating a welcoming and supportive environment for hundreds of Central Florida children.<\/p>\n

At first glance, New Hope for Kids looks like any other summer camp. Children laugh together, participate in activities and build new friendships. But behind the games and smiles is a mission centered on healing. The nonprofit serves children and families navigating grief, life-threatening illnesses and traumatic life events, offering a safe space where kids can set aside their worries, even if only for a little while.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou come here, even if you\u2019re in a bad mood when you arrive, by the time you leave you\u2019re in a great mood,\u201d Talley said. \u201cYou feel really uplifted and feel like you\u2019ve done something good.\u201d<\/p>\n

That feeling has kept Talley coming back week after week. He isn\u2019t paid, and he isn\u2019t looking for recognition. He simply shows up, ready to help children smile. Tezmon Oehler-Williams, director of programming at New Hope for Kids, says Talley\u2019s commitment has made him one of the organization\u2019s most dependable volunteers.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe is one of our most consistent volunteers,\u201d Oehler-Williams said. \u201cWe have our groups every other week, but he comes every week because that\u2019s how important it is to him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now celebrating 30 years of serving Central Florida families, New Hope for Kids operates with just five full-time staff members while supporting hundreds of children and families each year.<\/p>\n

That mission, Oehler-Williams says, would not be possible without volunteers.<\/p>\n

\u201cVolunteers are essential. We could not survive,\u201d she said. \u201cWe have a small full-time staff of five, and we help hundreds of children and families each year, and we can\u2019t do that without our volunteers.\u201d<\/p>\n

The organization offers two core programs: free grief support for children and families, and wish experiences for children facing life-threatening illnesses. No matter the program, the goal remains the same to help children rediscover hope.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey don\u2019t forget their worries, but they put their worries aside while they are here,\u201d Talley said. \u201cIt is very rewarding in that regard.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Talley, the greatest reward isn\u2019t the time he gives \u2014 it\u2019s watching children regain their confidence, build friendships and leave with smiles that reflect the hope they\u2019ve found. Through his quiet dedication and unwavering commitment to serving others, Robert Talley continues to help children heal, one smile at a time, making him this week\u2019s Everyday Hero.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"MAITLAND, Fla. \u2014 For children coping with the loss of a loved one, a life-threatening illness or another…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":361503,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[767,2297,3076,274,770,28293,2296,1548,115,1335,139,141,140,278],"class_list":["post-361502","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-orlando","tag-app-community","tag-app-everyday-heroes","tag-app-good-news","tag-app-top-stories","tag-community-news","tag-curtis-mccloud","tag-everyday-hero","tag-good-news","tag-news","tag-orange-county","tag-orlando","tag-orlando-headlines","tag-orlando-news","tag-top-stories"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/361502","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=361502"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/361502\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/361503"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=361502"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=361502"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=361502"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}